The Art of Transparency
by Kayo-San
Summary: [NaNoWriMo 2017] In which Seireitei gets a ghost. 1 30 Interlinked, loosely in chronological order vignettes. 1 3 0 4 四/死/Shi. 31 exploration mini-stories of the Bleach universe through the eyes of an anomalous, but not entirely unwelcome guest. Questions and character redemptions/interpretations. Entertaining prompts!
1. Chapter 1 - Introduction, Hanataro

_1\. He'll never forget the way he looked at him._

* * *

"Oh! You must be our new recruit?"

Mutely, nodding.

"Don't have to be afraid, the only scary person around is Captain Unohana, but she protects us from the 11th Division, so don't worry. Oh! I'm your Seventh Seat, Yamada Hanataro, you can call me Hanataro."

It was a beautiful smile, and –

"It's nice to see you smiling today, Seventh Seat Hanataro."

He bows deeply, "Captain."

The matronly lady gives him a close-eyed smile in return.

"Are you practising your welcome speech? I'm afraid we won't be getting any new recruits this month. If you're interested, though, I'll send you with Lieutenant Isane to the Academy for the next recruitment drive."

He blinks, "But Captain! I just saw…"

Hanataro casts his gaze around the now empty corridor.

In the quiet – they hear the shuffle of robes along the wooden floorboard.

A door closing down the hallway and the Captain shakes her head.

"Perhaps it is a visiting spirit. Nothing to worry about since there is no malicious intent."

He purses his lips together, "But it nodded when I asked it… Maybe it's lost?"

"Then it will find its own way, I'm sure. Give your answer to Lieutenant Isane, alright?"

She walks down the corridor to her own destination.

Once she's out of sight, then Hanataro feels the presence again.

It forms again into the figure he saw before, and the figure bows deeply.

 _"I apologise for disappearing like that… I was surprised by the large power that suddenly entered the vicinity. But thank you for your warm welcome, Yamada-sama. Is there anything I can help with right now?"_

Lightly stunned by the formal address, he shakes his hands in front of him, "Oh, you don't have to be so formal with me! Um, what's your name? How old are you?"

 _"You are a Shinigami, Yamada-sama, therefore you should be accorded due respect considering I am not."_

The male figure thinks for a moment before continuing, _"You may call me Shi, since that is this division's number. Please feel free to request my aid anytime, Yamada-sama."_

* * *

Hanataro falls back to his routine, going to the medical supplies room to get the cart.

It's his turn to do rounds, and he's happy enough to have someone to share the time with.

While spirits turning up in Seireitei proper are not common, since Unohana-taicho didn't seem perturbed, he's happy to have made a new acquaintance.

Maybe spirits would be the wrong word.

Anomalies would be more precise, but cruel in wording.

"I don't suppose you remember where you came from, Shi-san?"

 _"No… You are the first person I've met, Yamada-sama. But I can heal, Yamada-sama, I can be of use here."_

The spirit holds the door as he wheels the cart through.

It's the room meant for people with low-levelled injuries, Academy students with Reiatsu or, usually, Hado #4 Byakurai burns.

He shakes his head, nostalgically thinking back to his own Academy times.

Picking the board hung at the foot of the first bed, flipping to the back to see what has already been administered.

"Student, how are your hands feeling?"

The poor child is wide-eyed with fear, making out a startled, "G-ghost!"

He casts a look at Shi, and notes, indeed, they can look through him.

His companion bows formally, taking steps to ease the girl's fear.

 _"Good morning, miss. May I heal your hands?"_

Hanataro and most of the other medical staff could have healed her hands the day she entered, but they'd rather not heal it up so quickly when the child would dive back into casting poorly formed Kido.

In this case, two day of bed rest have at least imparted to the student some sense of awareness, so he doesn't intervene when Shi offers.

He's curious to see what healing Shi can do after all.

Taking shaking hands in his ghostly ones, wide robes spilling onto the bed as Shi kneels down to eye level.

 _"Hm, you overloaded your hands?"_

The girl shyly nods, Shi smiles gently, and Hanataro feels himself smile too.

Shi withdraws from his robe a small jar of paste, using a finger to dab, and the rough skin smoothens itself.

 _"In the future, when your hand begins to feel a bit of tingle, then you should know you've hit your limit. If you push beyond that then… maybe I'll see you again."_

She nods obediently, and he thinks to himself, _Ah Shi's good with kids._

Hanataro takes over from there, telling the girl that she's free to leave – she does so, thanking them both very politely and running out the door.

The room's other occupant is fast asleep but this kid's suffering from reiryoku depletion.

 _"Should I heal this student as well, Yamada-sama?"_

"Ah, no need, Shi-san. It's just fatigue, so bed rest is all he needs."

 _"I can transfer him some of my energy, so he will recover faster."_

Hanataro doesn't have as much reiryoku compared to Isane-fukutaicho of course, but he can barely feel Shi's.

He gestures for him to go ahead, "As long as you have enough reiryoku, Shi-san."

 _"Reiryoku?"_ the ghost questions as he presses a finger to the student's.

Making it seem simple, and the child's reserves are topped up in the span of seconds.

"Ah, yes, that's the energy in everyone. Reiatsu is the pressure you felt from Unohana-taicho just now. Just a fraction of her actual one, she has a seal on that restricts her."

 _"Ah, I see…"_

They walk out of the room, Hanataro looking at his companion with something akin to curiosity.

But no soul ever remembers their past life, so asking Shi for answers is useless.

"Where will you go, Shi-san?"

 _"Now?"_

The ghost, dressed in pale green robes and a dark green obi around his waist, hands tucked into his sleeves in front of him.

"Or whenever? Do you have a place to stay for the night? Would you like to see what the rest of Seireitei is like?"

He sounds doubtful as he holds another door open for Hanataro, _"Is that okay? I appeared here, I was not aware that ghosts like me were very welcome."_

Wheeling the cart back intoit's original position and signing on the duty board, "I'm off my round now, earlier than usual thanks to you, Shi-san. If you'd like, sure, I'd bring you around. We don't get ghosts often, but I'm sure no one will mind as long as you don't cause trouble!"

* * *

 _"How big is Seireitei, Yamada-sama?"_

Hanataro looks at his companion, who looks around thoughtfully.

"I've never thought about it actually. But Seireitei is pretty big. That's why we usually travel in the inner circle, the distance is much shorter. If I run, I could reach the East gate in a half a day. A normal Shinigami would be able to use shunpo and reach in a few hours, though I'm sure Sui Feng-taicho can do it in one. "

 _"Ah… I woke up about here? And I walked through that gate with the 'Four' on top. It looked like a hospital."_

"Um… I guess we are the Shinigami equivalent of a hospital. Though, if you just woke up, then you don't really know anything else, Shi-san?"

He ums and ahs a moment, before squatting down by the side of the road.

"Okay, so Seireitei itself is a big circle," he draws a large circle in the sandy ground.

"It houses the Gotei 13, which I am part of."

 _"Ah, so 13, for thirteen divisions? Of which you are part of the 4th."_

"We!" Hanataro is quick to say, and Shi smiles, "So if anyone gives you trouble, Unohana-taicho will help you!"

He flushes at his outburst, before moving back to his drawing session.

"So, there's this outer ring, behind the walls of Seireitei itself, and it has all the shops, restaurants, clothes boutiques, the like."

Another continuous ring, slightly smaller, drawn inside.

The whole circle gets divided into quarters.

"Seireitei has four gates, North, South, East, West, all with a giant guardian. I guess the most famous one is West Gate's Jidanbou-san. He's also the friendliest I'd say."

A small circle, a quarter the diameter of the medium circle is drawn.

"This is the 1st Division's grounds. In this circle we also have the Senzaikyu, a tall tower used to house criminals, and Sokyoku Hill. The hill has the Sokyoku, who is only released to execute criminals of the highest class."

Hanataro splits the quarters into three wedges each, and Shi joins in, dragging lines across the sand, fingertips solidifying.

 _"Hm, so each of these wedges must belong to each of the twelve divisions?"_

Hanataro proceeds to number all the wedges, "Yep! But the wedge shape is not precise. Seireitei houses the four Noble Families as well, and their huge manors. Also, here and there are the mansions of the other rich families but those are rare. I've never actually gone to any of such non-military compounds."

Drawing a tiny 'x' on the map, he plots their route, "So we were somewhere here, in the corridors of our division's compound… We walked," he casts a look at Shi, who gaily floats an additional foot more above the ground to amuse him, "You floated, Shi-san, till here."

"And we're drawing on the ground, just outside the 3rd Division's wall."

Pointing off, round the turn, "Their gate is just over there. They have a bunch of persimmon trees. It's not persimmon season yet, but when it is, Ichimaru-taicho dries them with his members as division bonding, and gives them out as gifts with paperwork."

 _"Paperwork?"_

Shi sounds almost amused, though Hanataro groans quietly, "Yes, thankfully Unohana-taicho and Isane-fukutaicho do it themselves. That one time Isane-fukutaicho was ill, Taicho had me help, and even with help from 3rd Seat Iemura-sama, we took the whole morning to complete."

They move on after covering their drawing with loose dirt.

 _"Yamada-sama, perhaps we should go back to our division? I can feel a few people where you said the door would be. Will they be a problem?"_

"It wouldn't hurt for you turn invisible, Shi-san, but the 3rd Division's members are generally kinder than others. Their Captain is easy going, and they're cool about most things."

Shi fades out of view, though he can hear him speak still.

 _"I can turn you invisible too, Yamada-sama,"_ laughing softly, and robes covering him.

They walk/float silently past the contingent of 3rd Division members who joke among each other, all holding stacks of paper.

"This time, it's my turn to send paperwork to the 4th!"

"Ahh Taicho sent me to the 11th…"

"Too bad for you, don't worry, tomorrow you'll get somewhere nearer, Taicho's fair like that."

And by the time they make a full loop around the 1st Division's walls, the sun is setting.

* * *

Unohana-taicho is sipping tea peacefully on the patio outside, and both of them bow when within speaking distance.

"Taicho! Is there anything left for us to do?"

The lady arches her eyebrow, "You haven't spoken to Isane-fukutaicho, Hanataro-kun. Were you going around to help your friend find their way?"

The child bows contritely, before answering her directly, "I'd be honoured to go, Taicho."

She nods, before shifting her gaze to the lingering Spirit attached to her Seventh Seat.

"Are you bound to Hanataro-kun, Ghost-san?"

Her Seventh Seat jumps to his friend's defence, going along the lines of not a hollow, without combat abilities, suited for the 4th before shrinking back realising he's talking to her, his captain.

Unohana smiles, "I'm glad you're speaking up, Hanataro-kun. If Shi-san feels the most at home here and can heal, I'd be happy to accept him."

Extending his translucent hands to receive her offered badge.

"The bellflower is our Division symbol. While you are not a Shinigami, you should be respected as one of our division's healers. I expect you to report at the same time as everyone else, and share our duties. The badge allows me to call for you, track your location, reiryoku levels."

Shi fades out of existence, asking, _"Even now?"_

The Captain smiles wryly, "As long as you're visible. I will have to ask that you remain invisible no more than a day at a time. After which, I will declare you missing and send Hanataro-kun to look for you."

 _"I understand. Thank you, Unohana-sama."_

"You should address everyone according to their title, Shi-kun, even though you are not a Shinigami."

 _"Of course, Unohana-taicho-sama."_

Hanataro shakes his head as his taicho levels a questioning gaze, though she does not correct their ghost further.

* * *

"Is there a canon map of Seireitei?"

* * *

Welcome to my first NaNoWriMo (2017) [I've never written so fast in my life I'm going to start on the chapter for tomorrow... The ideas are all waiting to be fleshed out.]

Looking to hear all your thoughts and suggestions!

I do have some stored prompts that I know I want to write, but I really would appreciate it if you all dropped me the name of a Shinigami whom you want me to have 'Shi' interact with.

Not a must, but if you have something more specific, a question about a mechanic in Bleach that you would like me to tackle, please do say so :)

Look at the end of each chapter for this question, like above.

Through AoT, I hope to fill in some of Bleach's plot holes and make my own convenient plot devices. The question will not be addressed solely in one chapter, but I hope that by writing it into a story, it becomes an acceptable explanation.

So please don't be shy!

I'll be updating one chapter per day whole of this month with a final closure chapter so there will be 31 chapters in total (cough see why it's Shi-4)

(1st November 2017)


	2. Chapter 2 - Easing, Ukitake

_2\. He'll never forget the relief in his eyes._

* * *

The Shinigami dressed in the usual black kimono stumbled, and Shi rushes forward, catching him.

In the open area, a breeze blew and a few pieces of the paperwork Isane-sama spent effort on were swept toward the water.

Setting the Shinigami down on the wooden floorboard, apologising gently before phasing out onto the water, catching the loose sheets and clapping them to the top of the stack.

Returning to the side of the Shinigami, apologising again, asking if he's all right, setting down the pile of paperwork to support the male as he stands, one arm on his back, the other holding a hand.

"Thank you, you are..?"

 _"4th Division's Shi, Shinigami-sama."_

A pair of Shinigami bustle down the corridor, sliding doors opening hurriedly, "Ukitake-taicho has disappeared again! Quick, mobilise everyone, we need to find him!"

The man in front of him calls out calmly, "Kiyone, Sentaro, I'm here, don't worry everyone needlessly…"

Shi looks curiously, noting the lack of the haori Yamada-sama assured him would identify a Shinigami Captain.

Kind brown eyes that look over his shoulder and the man's subordinates rush over, "Ukitake-taicho!"

He steps away once the two Shinigami, one male, one female take over his former position, moving to get his stack of paperwork.

Bowing formally, "I was sent by 4th Division's Isane-fukutaicho-sama. May I know where I should put the paperwork regarding the members who are currently warded?"

The lady smiles, "My sister? You can put it in the office room back in the main building," she gestures at the larger compound behind him for good measure and then adds, "Make sure you put it on the table on the right! That's my table!"

The man juts in, "Oi! Don't hog all the work! While Taicho is resting, we're supposed to split the work! Please split the stack into two, 4th Division Member-san."

They yell back and forth, and Shi looks to the Captain for guidance.

He only steps away from the arguing pair with an air of fondness and waves Shi over.

Shi phases out for a moment, not that it appeared even a lightning strike would be able to halt the ongoing war of words.

* * *

The door slides shut, and natural light filters through the open window on the other end.

"I apologise on behalf of my Third Seats. The female is Kotetsu Kiyone, the younger sibling of your fukutaicho. The male is Kotsubaki Sentaro. They're just a little enthusiastic, I hope you excuse their rudeness, please place the paperwork on my desk."

Shi does so, though he remarks that, _"It is heartening to see such devotion in division members, taicho-sama."_

The captain watches him, before asking him, "Shi-san, you are not a Shinigami?"

He bows, _"No, I am not, however, Unohana-taicho-sama has taken me in for the time being until I find my way."_

"A lost spirit then?"

 _"If that is what I can be called, taicho-sama."_

The man smiles, head cocking aside, "Please convey to Unohana-taicho that I am well today and that I was the one to receive you."

Shi bows again, and turns to leave, before he asks, _"Are you ill, taicho-sama?"_

He backtracks, _"I apologise if that was phrased rudely, taicho-sama,"_ though the white-haired captain shakes his head to wave off his fears.

"I am not offended, Shi-san. But I am ill with an incurable disease so Unohana-taicho usually sends Shinigami to check up on me throughout the day. I assumed you were another of the two she has sent so far."

The lost spirit frowns, before further asking, _"May I check you over then, taicho-sama? I am sure Isane-fukutaicho-sama would report to Unohana-taicho-sama accordingly…"_

Taking a seat in his padded chair, his white haori hung over the backrest, silently giving consent by turning the chair to the side.

Shi extends his hands out, and they solidify to glow green.

"I have to warn you beforehand that Unohana-taicho has tried numerous methods without success. Either way, I have survived hundreds of years with it, I will do so for many more hundreds."

 _"You have a malignant and parasitic body in place of your lungs, taicho-sama."_

Because he knows not how to phrase his words otherwise, they come off judgemental and foolish, though the captain denies none of it.

"They were a sacrifice to live, now I cannot live without that which you have described."

 _"Will you not kill and replace it, taicho-sama?"_

A smile plays on his lips, "Unohana-taicho must be waiting for you, Shi-san. There's no use throwing away your life in a procedure that may not work."

Frowning, but bowing anyway, _"If a human can survive with one lung, then you could consider doing half first, taicho-sama."_

The captain hums, that he will consider it, that neither of them are human, and that, "Ukitake is fine, Shi-san. You are not a Shinigami, you are not one my men, and so I will not order you about."

 _"Unohana-taicho-sama will be displeased, Ukitake-taicho-sama."_

"Jushiro then. Jushiro-taicho-sama."

 _"Your Third Seats might kill me for the presumed disrespect, Jushiro-taicho-sama."_

* * *

Isane-fukutaicho was dismissed early, and Unohana-taicho receives his report, "He did not cough a single time in your presence, Shi-kun?"

 _"Yes, Unohana-taicho-sama."_

She weaves her fingers together, "And you believe the mass of reiryoku in Ukitake-taicho's lungs is malignant?"

 _"It is liquidising his body's attempts to regrow its lungs."_

The ghost with his hands behind his back is quite serious, and Unohana takes his observations at face value.

"That would explain why he coughs blood occasionally."

 _"He coughs blood?"_

He looks almost surprised, and his captain nods.

 _"Then the mass is not eating him for sustenance, but to destroy him so it has a place to stay."_

Shi remains quiet as Unohana begins to document their exchange.

"I am now curious Shi-kun, as to why you feel a reiatsu different from Ukitake-taicho's, let alone come to the conclusion that it is malignant when in the thousand years where I have treated him, I have only ever felt a pair of lungs that are sick beyond repair."

While his taicho levels an even look at him, her gaze feels almost accusing and he can only do what he has always.

Shakes his head, replying _"I do not know, Unohana-sama."_

Because Shi is different from most of the spirits around.

He is not a Shinigami, he does not have a Zanpakutou, he is essentially powerless yet he… heals and uses his reiryoku effortlessly, without apparent limit.

Unohana dismisses him.

Shi is but a child still, not knowing what goes on behind the scenes so much that he could die with a moment's notice.

She watches him walk out of her office, conflicted and his reiatsu – in a rare moment where she can feel it, shifting as if he were biting his lip.

Bringing her attention back to the paperwork at hand, the last few sheets for the day, _finally,_ she thinks, _it's almost seven._

"Tomorrow… I should try and send him to more divisions. And I think I shall go and visit Ugendo Quarters. If Ukitake has indeed been as well as Shi describes, then he should be in the main office rather than the restarea."

* * *

"Ahem. The reason for this meeting is as follows. Whether or not to allow Lost Spirits found within Seireitei to remain within it."

It's a thinly veiled topic, and Unohana can feel Ukitake's concerned gaze upon her as the Captain-Commander finishes his opening statement.

Aizen speaks up, pushing his black spectacles up with a harmless air.

It irks the blood-thirsty aspect within her, that someone like him can hide behind such a polite façade.

"My apologies, Soutaicho, however, I was not aware that Lost Spirits were a common enough occurrence that we should be concerned. Has a new one appeared? Should we not guide it along instead?"

Kurotsuchi rolls his eyes in his usual exaggerated fashion, "Lost souls are exactly what their name are! Lost! You cannot help people who lost because they know not where they wish to go! They are in general harmless, as long as you're sure they're actually a lost spirit. I will not complain if one is given to me to ascertain that it is a lost spirit, but otherwise, lost spirits are the roaming sort, they will go wherever they wish."

She gracefully inclines her head at him, and he hmpfs in response, crossing his arms.

Ukitake speaks up then, "I have had contact with the lost spirit, he has helped me in fact. I would be in favour of allowing him to stay."

And she knows, Ukitake's stance carries weight – the rest of the captains murmur among themselves.

Sui Feng offers her input, "If the spirit is no threat, then there is no reason to intervene. I favour watching the spirit for a longer period of time. I will set a member of the Onmitsukido for a trial period of half a year. Will a Patrol Corps member suffice?"

"Please do not disturb our patients," is her unspoken way of accepting it.

Unohana watches the Captain-Commander for some indication of his internal decision. His eyebrow twitches when Kyoraku offers the idea of keeping the spirit if it's pretty.

She can't help the laugh that slips out.

It's a cute idea, and really, she should have seen it coming from Kyoraku because people never seem to change and that boy was a womaniser even the first time she set her eyes on him.

"I am sure you will find Shi-kun pleasing enough to the eyes, Kyoraku-taicho, though I am afraid he may not think so highly of you should you do so."

The male who tips his hat down, fingers going to the edge of his floral kimono, "Aih Unohana-taicho, you hurt my feelings so. But as to that, I must first see him, no?"

There's a hidden implication behind all their words and in this case, Kyoraku is stating clearly that he reserves judgement till he has seen their Lost Spirit.

But then again, Seireitei has not been so on guard for many years.

She wonders why the Soutaicho is so concerned about a single Lost Spirit who has committed no crime.

"This spirit has no combat capabilities?"

"He is a healer working with my division, Kuchiki-taicho."

With a curt nod, and Unohana knows that he will not push against.

Komamura and Tousen have always been among the last to say things, in this case, without their commander's input, they say nothing.

Ichimaru keeps his neutral grin on his face – he doesn't care very much, but the slight widening of his lips tells her the same as Kyoraku implies with his banter.

The council nearly turns, though the focus shifts clearly to Kenpachi.

Usually, he would have by now, made an outburst of some sort.

Something along the lines of, "If he can't fight I don't care," would have been expected.

Instead, he states, "A month should be long enough right? I want to fight him."

She's stunned – the bubbling inside her writhes and wonders _what can he see in Shi-kun that I have not seen that I do not desire to fight Shi-kun?_

The Captain Commander bangs his staff on the floor.

"If he is a healer then he is in no position to fight. If he can fight he becomes a threat. Kenpachi-taicho, why do you want to fight him?"

He smirks.

"Because you never know if they can fight until you push them to their edge. I want to fight someone who says they cannot."

So she smiles pleasantly, "Shi-kun has never said he cannot fight. It is an assumption I have made seeing his skill set – he is not the type that you can land a hand on, Kenpachi-taicho."

An implication – _you will leave him alone because I am protecting him._

The 11th Division Captain scoffs, and the Captain Commander dismisses them all.

"In three months, we will regather to decide if the Lost Spirit will be allowed to remain."

* * *

She catches Ukitake on their way out.

"Ukitake-taicho, I would like to try something new, if you are free today?"

He sends off a hell butterfly to his Third Seats, following the lady healer to her division.

He can't explain it entirely, Mimihagi-sama took his lungs and so that is the reiryoku that Shi-san can feel, whilst he's never understood why Unohana-taicho ever saw lungs in the space.

 _"Mimihagi-sama?"_

Unohana explains as he breaks into another coughing fit.

There's no blood – _"That's good, then you haven't grown more tissue yet. If we can move quickly enough we can remove the chakra and boost your own lung tissue growth."_

"But if it's a Fallen God we are fighting against…"

Ukitake shakes his head, "It is his reiryoku, however, the bargain was for him to take away my lungs, so this is not a breach of the agreement."

Shi-san's reiatsu traces the black marks inching across his back, noting _"The foreign one is killing you, Ukitake-taicho-sama."_

They put him to anaesthetised sleep, but it's not quite a deep as he would have thought.

Mild pain, then the ache in his chest.

Ghost coughs wracking his body, then a soothing flood of calm reiatsu, he feels a weight lifted out of his chest.

His heart beating, pulsating close to something so _clean_ and _right,_ he sighs in the sleep.

He's sealed back up and slowly regains consciousness.

Drawing a deep breath, feeling oddly off-kilter, as if one half of him were heavier than the other, trying to sit up.

Rather than his Third Seats, Shunsui or even Unohana, it's the lost spirit fast asleep in the chair by his bedside.

He coughed gently, and Shi-san's eyes snapped open.

Brown eyes met dark brown again, and Ukitake smiles.

"I feel all right, Shi-san."

The healer _moves_ , pillow to support his back, offering him water and calling for Unohana, but he catches a sleeve in his fingers, with a strength he didn't think he could regain.

Unohana-taicho rushes into the room with her full entourage and the ghost is swept away before he can say anything more.

* * *

"Why Mimihagi-sama didn't cure Ukitake, why Unohana never appeared to know about Mimihagi-sama, and, just how lax was Soul Society that Aizen was never detected till he attempted a flashy killing?"

* * *

So again, prompt me! Question the Bleach canon! Anything! Random things I can write about!

(2nd November 2017)


	3. Chapter 3 - Breathing, Kenpachi

_3\. He'll never forget the sensation of being cut._

* * *

With the blessing of Unohana-taicho, Shi accompanies Hanataro to the 11th Division to deliver paperwork.

"If they threaten you two, remember that I have warned them already. Shi-san, it may be improper for me to order you to do so, but protect Hanataro-kun."

The ghost nods, _"I will phase out with him if they attack, Unohana-taicho-sama."_

The lady waves them out of her office, casting an eye over to the signal receiver by the edge of her table.

He smiles up at their division ghost after walking out those doors, unable to help the admiration leaking into his voice, "Unohana-taicho is so caring, and you're so strong, Shi-san!"

Shi doesn't reply, only hiding his hands in his sleeves and smiling back.

"Can you use Shunpo, Shi-san?"

They're doing a little jog but from experience, the trip to the 11th Division will take just over an hour.

 _"I have not learnt how to use my reiryoku like Shinigami do, but I can phase across distances, if you would like me to carry you, Yamada-sama."_

He recalls, _ah, I told him I couldn't Shunpo then, didn't I…_

Hanataro hangs his head sadly, "I am kinda weak, aren't I, Shi-san."

The spirit bends slightly, patting his back in a signal, _"Well, Yamada-sama, I cannot fight. So I will rely on you for that."_

The smaller medic climbs on, swallowing any of his rouge pride.

Looping his arms comfortably around Shi's neck, announcing that, "I'm no good with a blade. I nearly failed Zanjutsu class, I can't do shunpo when the Eighth Seat can, but I like to think I'm okay with Kido. And the 11th Division is the worst with that."

 _"Then protect us with Kido, Yamada-sama."_

They phase to the 3rd Division's gates, and Hanataro tightens his grip slightly.

Shi rests his hand lightly on his passenger's forearm before he phases again.

He pauses for a moment to catch his breath, they're somewhere between the 3rd and 2nd Division.

Hanataro watches, attentively as blue streams in the surroundings condense and enter Shi.

Tapping him softly, asking, "If you're tired, we should really just walk, Shi-san… Unohana-taicho will get worried if you faint."

But the ghost only smiles, _"If I can help like this, I am happy to do so, Yamada-sama. Don't worry about it. I'll be okay after a short rest."_

Hanataro knows, that full reserves makes it easier to heal, but that full reserves isn't equal to being healed.

Shi-san takes off again, phasing shorter distances without pause instead of taking full leaps.

Tracking his reiryoku levels more carefully, he remarks that, "When you do this instead, Shi-san, you give yourself enough time to refill your reiryoku reserve!"

For the moments where they are moving, sometimes he feels almost as if they do not exist.

The place where they are is cold and empty – so to fill the void he asks, "Shi-san, where does your ability take us? Are we stepping across dimensions?"

He notes warmly that Shi takes his feedback well, sticking to the shorter distance phasing, though he only shrugs to the questions.

 _"I guess this is a place where everything and nothing is real… By coming here, we ask to be rejected to a place that is real, so we end up in the place that I imagine in my head. In exchange, we fill the spot that we took?"_

They cross the Second Division without ever seeing the gate, seeing as how the 13th Division's willow trees come into view around the corner.

 _"How does Shunpo work then, Yamada-sama?"_

"Isane-fukutaicho explains it as forming reishi in the environment as your footstep, like a launching pad, and jumping a distance in one step. So the better you are the further you can jump, and the longer you can keep jumping. I just can't jump."

He laughs off the awkwardness, because he's memorised the textbook explanation, but… "I'm just too scared to jump."

In the void, Shi's voice sounds terribly far off.

 _"Well, it's kinda scary to enter here, too. I've been phasing as much as possible since the day we first met. Turning invisible is like holding my breath and not drowning, phasing is flipping between black-white and full colour."_

Like static, sometimes clear and sometimes being sent far into the distance.

They pass the 12th Division's bolted doors, and Shi slows down.

* * *

Hanataro slides off his back, trying not to crumple the stack of paperwork.

Shi follows behind Hanataro who darts through the gates like a mouse.

Shi feels him tug his reiatsu close and compress it, watches the droplet of sweat slide down his cheek.

It washes over him suddenly, and he has no doubt that's what Hanataro feels as well.

Gently, Shi expands the sphere of his reiatsu's influence, just enough to cover his friend who gives him a shaky smile.

"That's Zaraki-taicho's reiatsu we're feeling. We need to give the paperwork to either him or his fukutaicho."

 _"The seated members won't do?"_

They cautiously peek around the corridor.

"I-I've tried. But 11th Division members all look down on us 4th Division members 'cause we're weak. T-they ruined the paperwork the last time that I tried. Their Lieutenant is almost like a child, she's much kinder, if you can call her that."

And as they make their way over to the next corridor, a child's voice pipes up.

"Oh! Hana-hana, you're here today!"

Hanataro bobs his head vigorously, and the pink-haired girl looks up at Shi with wide eyes.

"Hello! Are you a ghost? You're new! Are you strong? I think Kenny would like to meet you!"

Quickly the pile of papers is set down, and Hanataro whips out a small packet of sweets, "I brought sweets, Kusajishi-fukutaicho!"

Her eyes sparkle, and she takes them without hesitation.

She pats him on the head.

"Thanks for remembering Hana-hana! I'll give these to Kenny, but are you sure you don't wanna play?"

Hanataro shakes his head furiously, but Shi is less aware, so asks, _"Play?"_

Because to him, she is a child in a child's form and so he is not so… afraid?

"You can speak, ghostie-chan!"

She latches onto him before he can react, and he solidifies to accommodate her.

His companion's terrified face is the only thing that tells him this is a bad idea.

"Ken-chan! Ken-chan! I have a new friend!"

The girl, _with pink hair, pink(!),_ yells aloud and the same, heavy reiatsu washes over them, this time heavier and closer.

"A friend?" comes the rumbling reply, no doubt the owner of the immense reiatsu.

Shi braces himself, struggling not to crash into the floor.

A side glance and he catches Hanataro's wide, glassy eyes.

Expanding his sphere again, pushing so hard the breath escapes him.

The man lets loose a curious, "Huh," and the pressure lightens enough for Shi to move, draping himself over his companion.

Kusajishi-fukutaicho hops off him only then, bending down and asking, "Oh… is Kenny crushing you?"

 _As if it's normal_ and Shi's losing his mind.

 _"Please… Kusajishi-fukutaicho-sama, please don't hurt Yamada-sama…"_

He's trying, _trying so hard_ to phase out but he's pinned to the spot and Hanataro is just shaking under him, and he's solid – the child pokes him in the cheek.

"Ghostie-chan, Ken-chan just wants to play, Hana-hana is too weak, so don't worry!"

The curiousity turns to a wild smirk, and the pressure increases.

Hanataro grips his sleeve, mouthing, " _Get away away away away before he kills you –"_

Before he chokes and Lieutenant Kusajishi tugs her prior acquaintance from under him.

He could almost pass out in relief but he knows it's a momentary diversion.

 _Take him away before he gets crushed, but since I'm not, I can be left here to entertain._

Shi pushes back, but with every push, the huge figure towering over him presses him back down.

So he resigns himself, and over a while, he no longer feels the pain curling around his heart, they simply push back and forth, like children playing tug of war.

He frowns, and asks himself why he tries so hard.

Swinging his robed lower body over the edge of the raised wooden corridor, looking up at the behemoth of a Captain.

Getting to his feet, and the spiky black-haired man steps back to allow him space to do so.

 _Did he expect a different, outlandish kind of hair colour?_

Frowning deeper, noting that the man is cloaked generously in gold while he is thinly covered by pale green.

He bows.

 _"We were sent by 4th Division's Unohana-taicho-sama to deliver paperwork. Yamada-sama has given the stack to Kusajishi-fukutaicho-sama. We do not mean any insult, but Yamada-sama and I are still required back at our division. I ask that you release us so we may do so, Kenpachi-taicho-sama."_

"You're not going all out, spirit."

 _"I am not suited for fighting, Kenpachi-taicho-sama. I am unable to."_

Shi shouldn't have expected an attack, so he didn't, but the blade that screams across his neck – the pure bloodthirst in it flows _out._

He loses control, _they both do,_ and the sky is graced by a huge gold column with an occasional pale green spark.

Kenpachi-taicho laughs freely, maniacally.

Retreating, confused, a hand to his neck comes away wet with fluid.

He staggers for a moment, the roaring laughter ringing in his ears.

When the man drunkenly stumbles away, their column no longer surrounds them, and the searing pain catches up with him.

Kusajishi-fukutaicho shoos them off, "Thanks for making Ken-chan happy, ghostie-chan! And come visit Yachiru again soon!"

He heals his own wound as Yamada-sama supports his hand, but the pain is shocking.

Phasing in and out, absentmindedly dragging Hanataro as they move back to the 4th Division Barracks.

Hanataro soon insists he stop, and he drops like a bag of bricks.

"You've never been cut or hurt before, Shi-san?"

 _Pain tolerance being absolutely null, so created the pitiful mess in front of him._

* * *

He recounts their eventful, if horrifying day to Unohana-taicho who drinks her tea calmly.

She smiles, forgiving as he stutters out his own inadequacies and he thinks, looking over to Shi-san, they could have died.

"It's okay, Seventh Seat Hanataro, you both delivered the paperwork successfully. I will speak with Kenpachi-taicho the next time I see him, rest assured, until then at least, I will not send you two there again."

Standing off the corner, Shi-san looks out the window, looking oddly contemplative.

There's a faint scar across his neck, but Unohana-taicho says that it shouldn't hurt anymore.

Shi doesn't say anything with regard to it.

"U-um, Taicho… Can I teach Shi-san basic Kido?"

She looks at him curiously, "If Shi-kun would like to learn, I will not stop him, but Hanataro-kun, are you sure you wish to teach him? Why not go find someone else whom you can both learn from instead?"

His ears burn and he drops his gaze to his lap, "I w-want to learn. But I don't know anyone who can teach us. But I want to learn!"

Unohana-taicho hums softly.

"Well, I can get Isane-fukutaicho to help you during your breaks, but I'm afraid I will have to send Shi-kun to someone more suited to teaching the basics. Maybe I will send him to the academy…"

It's been so long Hanataro can't remember the chants for the first few Kido.

But he tries to teach anyway.

"Shi-san, I… really don't remember the chants anymore, but I promise, once you practise, you won't need the chant anyway!"

The spirit takes notes dutifully as he speaks.

"Bakudo #1: Sai!"

His book disappearing as his hands are bound.

He scratches the back of his head as the spirit blinks at him.

 _"Hanataro-sensei, so Bakudo depend on the difference of reiatsu levels?"_

"Hado too! If you have a higher present reiatsu than me, when my technique hits you, it will hurt less. Bakudo can be broken by flaring your reiatsu, of if I release you. Can you phase away still though, Shi?"

The ghost can, and for that fraction of a moment Shi no longer exists, therefore the binding collapses on itself.

Shi fires off another glowy light.

Hanataro can't help the laugh that escapes him.

* * *

"The difference between Reiatsu, Reiryoku, Reishi. Power. What is it?"

* * *

Day 3, looking for prompts again still!

Think I could be a theory sensei in the afterlife? ;)

(3rd November 2017)


	4. Chapter 4 - Learning, Hinamori

_4\. He'll never forget the way she clapped for him._

* * *

Shi is both stunned and humbled by how seriously how the 5th Division's Fifth Seat treats him in teaching him kido.

The lady is there earlier than him, nearly bouncing from enthusiasm.

He hurries forward, apologising for being late.

She laughs him off, "No problem, I'm early. I was just super excited, I couldn't sleep!"

She looks him up and down for a moment and asks, "Shi-kun right? I don't suppose you have any practice with using your reiryoku?"

 _"None at all, Hinamori-sama. Yamada-sama_ _has gone over some of the theory and done small demonstrations for the first two bakudo and hado over the past week, but I have not been able to do any of them."_

Though thrown by the form of address, she focusses on her task at hand and tells him truthfully, "Shi-kun, I do not sense any reiatsu leaking from you. That means you either have too little, or you do not have the natural reiatsu vents Shinigami have. Given your proficiency with the healing kido, I don't think you have such low reserves. Can you show me Bakudo #1: Sai?"

They arrive in the training grounds, which are clear today.

Shi nods, taking up the stance Hanataro showed him.

Feet slightly apart, index and middle finger out, palm extended at a target dummy.

 _"Bakudo #1: Sai!"_

Again, the same ball of light comes from somewhere and meanders a foot or two before dissipating.

The dummy doesn't twitch, and he watches his kido teacher hide a giggle.

 _"No matter what we tried, or changed my stance, that's all I seem to be able to do. Yamada-sama said you might know the incantations for the first few kido in series, Hinamori-sama. He said it could help with focussing the reiryoku that I output."_

She smiles brightly, "I think you're the first person I've tutored who's ever asked for the chant. Most people want to hurry and do the kido without the chant. And Sensei is fine, Shi-kun. Wouldn't want you to spend the majority of the time addressing me, ne?"

He gives her a small smile in reply, and she hands him a book from the stack on a table under the main building's eaves.

"Aizen-taicho was kind enough to help me in the library, I found all these textbooks and old kido manuals!"

Flipping to pages that have been sticky tagged, he wonders quietly, _Why spend so much effort on just a student?_

Each tag has something written on it.

"I'll set you homework reading each week, I hope you can read my handwriting?"

It's just numbers, but he marvels at the smoothness of the lines.

 _"I will work hard, Sensei."_

Shi watches the way that Hinamori lights up.

"Okay! Let's get started then! The chant for Bakudo #1 is…"

* * *

 _"Be formed and restrain, Bakudo #1: Sai!"_

The arms of the straw puppet snap off.

He blinks, but Sensei is beaming.

"Now do it on me, Shi-kun!"

He complies.

Her hands lock up, but her face doesn't.

Shi thinks, her smile is so wide she could get a stitch.

The sun is already dipping down, and they started in the mid-afternoon.

But she smiles.

"You did it!"

Hinamori flexes her reiatsu, and her smile gets even wider, "And it's so strong, Shi-kun!"

His eyes widen and he hastily releases it, _"I'm sorry, was it too tight?"_

She claps and lets out a cheer, "Ahhh my student is so smart and talented!"

He insists on looking over her wrists though there's no mark.

"Don't worry about that, Shi-kun. Bakudo are quite harmless, they aren't offensive, so they don't hurt. And the strength of a kido always depends on the amount of reiryoku used. That's why the incantations make something stronger – it's a time for the user to gather reiryoku and shape it. When we do Eishohaki, forgoing the words, we essentially have to gather reiryoku faster, and shape it while the launched mass of energy is in flight."

 _"And that's why previously I only created little floating lights?"_

He hastily scribbles in his book, tugged from his sleeve along with a pencil.

"That's right! You were launching unshaped reiryoku. It left you too fast to have enough to carry itself the distance, and your reiatsu pressure did not extend far enough to still exert the 'shaping' effect."

They walk back to the barracks, each with half the stack of books.

 _"You're really smart, Hinamori-sensei."_

She elbows him playfully in his side, and she gets this glint in her eye when he gasps in response.

"You're so cute, Shi-kun, like a teeny kid! And you're ticklish too!"

When they set down the stack on her table, she pats him on the head.

Shi takes it in stride, lowering his head for better access.

He's a bit taller than her after all.

If the Fifth Seat sees him humouring her, she isn't insulted.

"Come on, let's go get dinner from the kitchen! Shall we eat together?"

He blinks, suddenly contemplating that _hey, he hasn't had a full meal in a long while._

 _"Maybe just a small snack, if I'm not imposing."_

"That's great! We can discuss what you wanna learn next week too, and if Aizen-taicho is around, I'd love to introduce you."

He doesn't voice objection.

As it turned out, the Captain has already eaten a quick dinner, so says the kitchen crew member.

His sensei almost seems to deflate.

"He must be busy today… Ever since Ichimaru-fukutaicho got promoted, our Lieutenant and Third Seat positions have been empty. He and our Fourth Seat are always working so hard… That's why! I want to be stronger, so someday I can help too."

She stabs the scoop of mashed potatoes with her fork.

He chews his sandwich, nodding, _"I'm sure you'll become Aizen-taicho-sama's fukutaicho in a few years, Hinamori-sensei."_

Hinamori blushes red, "You really think so?"

 _"Mhm, I'm sure your taicho will have noticed your abilities. After all, you're already Fifth Seat."_

The lady lets out a sigh.

"After Kira-kun got transferred to the Fourth, Renji-kun went to the Eleventh, then Kira-kun became Ichimaru-taicho's lieutenant. All my strong friends shifted out, so I got promoted instead of them…"

She pushes the sausage around her plate.

 _"I'm sure someone as intelligent as you make your taicho sound would not promote you just because of that. He trusts your abilities in fighting, and so do I, sensei."_

She sees him off at the gate.

"Thank you for cheering me up, Shi-kun."

He waves and she waves back, _"See you next week, Hinamori-sensei."_

* * *

"Today we'll be learning Hado #1: Sho. I know progress is slow for now, Shi-kun, but I'm sure once you get the hang of visualising things, you'll get the new techniques faster. Unohana-taicho has made it clear that because you don't have a zanpakuto, she would like you proficient in at least Kido as a way to defend yourself. So really, more than the Bakudo, I think the Hado are more important."

Hinamori is serious when she teaches, she puts her heart and soul into it, and Shi respects that.

He's been practising with Yamada-sama back in the barracks after all.

 _"I've memorised the chant, sensei. What should I visualise?"_

"Depends on what you feel, Shi-kun. Now, ready?"

He braces for the shove, as the textbook described in one line.

 _"Hai, sensei."_

"Hado #1: Sho."

She doesn't yell, and he knows it's very much toned down.

He feels the wave of reiatsu, like a palm, shoved into his chest, carrying him a distance back.

From his original floating off the ground position, the main force was applied to his mid-chest.

Arms and legs following only after, he assumes that the thing he should visualise is a large glowing fist.

Getting back up, he notes that even Hado affect him in his un-solid form.

 _"Sensei, can you fire another one at me, please?"_

She happily complies, and he phases out the moment he hears her finish speaking.

He doesn't feel anything, but he watches the blue circle ripple through the air where his mid-chest had been, and there's a dull thud when the ripple eventually hits the wall that marks the Fifth Division's boundary wall with the Sixth's.

He manages to make the armless straw puppet move.

He gets the feeling that Hinamori-sensei is patronising him when her Sho sends the puppet flying.

She flashsteps towards it and returns back with the dummy in her arms.

Firmly smacking it back into place, she smiles.

"Your task is to, using Sho, send the puppet flying like I did."

He makes a movement to get closer, but sensei catches the edge of his robe.

She remarks, "You became more solid over the week, you look less like a ghost now, Shi-kun."

While he's not sure if that's a compliment, he hasn't the time to dwell on it, since she insists he remains where he is.

"You need the range too since you don't have a zanpakuto that can help you in close quarters. So take things slow, and serious."

Nodding quietly, he takes up stance again.

Holding his palm out, and the other hand supporting his wrist, he focusses.

Gathering his reiryoku, drawing it from the air, pulling it across his robes, and watching it spill into a floating bubble in front of his palm.

Gently, flaring reiatsu, changing the circular bubble into a ring shape.

"Focus on your intent more, Shi-kun. As you will it, the shape will follow, not the other way around."

He tells the lump, _What I desire is for the puppet to fly._

 _"Be firm and repel_ , _Hado #1: Sho!"_ drawing his hand back then shoving it forward.

Expanding his reiatsu's area of influence, like an extra wave propelling the blueish ring forward.

It fades before hitting the target, he frowns and gets back into his starting position again.

The puppet snaps messily, upper half flying back.

Hinamori-sensei claps her hands together.

"Looks like you're getting a hang of things, ne, Shi-kun?"

He smiles back.

 _"Am I allowed to move on now, sensei?"_

She mock thinks for a moment, before laughing when he looks crestfallen.

"Of course you can. I don't suppose you memorised the incantations for #2 kido?"

 _"I read Bakudo #2 Shibireyubi's Focus and be still."_

She reaches out, extending a finger before his eyes.

"Bakudo #2: Shibireyubi."

Her fingertip flashes white, and Shi topples to his knees.

* * *

Hinamori has taught him for a whole year, this became a usual routine event.

She was promoted a few months ago to Fourth.

He does rounds with Hanataro, delivers paperwork that Unohana-taicho tells him to, goes for class, eats with Sensei, studies kido with Hanataro, then they go to bed.

He reports at the correct time, expecting another training session, expecting just Sensei to be sitting on the table, swinging her legs which don't reach the ground.

There's a huge crowd, possibly even the whole division of about two hundred.

He phases to a position above the crowd, passing through a spherical shield as he goes.

Sensei is fighting the Third Seat, and her taicho is watching from outside the shield.

From the looks of it, Hinamori-sensei is determined to win.

A division member spots him, and their taicho is alerted.

Outwardly gentle looking, with softly curled brown hair, soft eyes, black rectangle spectacles.

He exudes patience, and Shi can tell, all the facets of this man which endear him to his sensei.

Because of that, he phases over to the man when he waves at him.

"You must be Shi? Hinamori's student?"

He bows lightly.

 _"And you must be Aizen-taicho-sama, Hinamori-sensei has told me much of you."_

He laughs, "Good things I hope?"

 _As if he knows her devotion and that – makes him inwardly horrified._

 _A man who knew of her devotion and was able to use it._

 _"Only good things, of course,"_ Shi replies steadily.

Unlike Jushiro-sama who refuses to use his Third Seats' devotion, Aizen-taicho is someone who wouldn't mind doing so.

With a loud yell, "Hado #4: Byakurai!" Sensei wins the match, and the division politely claps.

He applauds as loudly as he can, yelling as well, "Good job, Hinamori-sensei!"

She looks up him, weary but triumphant, and gives him a small wave.

Shi tends to both combatants as Aizen-taicho addresses the crowd.

"As the final component to the test, I would like to show you all the final aspect that I would like in my lieutenant. Our squad is known for being close, I want your fukutaicho to be someone who is approachable. You all may know, Fourth Seat Hinamori has been tutoring the 4th Division's Shi-san. What better way can we observe Hinamori's ability to teach and guide people other than viewing Shi-san's improvement in kido from zero?"

Hinamori starts, hurrying to stand to voice her objects, "But taicho! Shi-kun has never been in a fight before. And he's so young as well, it wouldn't be fair for him to be matched against anyone."

If that man was caught off guard by her ability to refuse him, he didn't show it.

Covering it with a kind smile, "Which is why Shi-san will showcase his ability on me, Hinamori. I will not hurt him."

The squad looks mildly uncomfortable.

It wouldn't do to have a Captain and Lieutenant whose philosophies contradicted.

 _"I believe sensei has prepared me well enough to last at least a few seconds," he offers._

The Third Seat supports his to-be-fukutaicho to outside the barrier.

Shi wants to prove that his sensei is not a pushover.

Losing is a blow to her pride, her standing in her squad.

But winning means that Aizen-taicho will place duties upon her, it means that their sessions will end.

 _They've only made it to the #20 kidos, though for 50 sessions at one a week, with no in between meetups, progress has been remarkable._

Shi wonders if because of this, her desire to become fukutaicho has wavered because she had been so convinced that lunch session she told him her dream.

She idolised the man, past tense emphasis perhaps.

The taicho exaggerates his movements, slowly saying the words so Shi has time to react.

"Hado #4…"

"Shi-kun, shield!"

 _"Solidify this wind, and bar all entry, Bakudo #10: Heki!"_

"Byakurai."

The shield remains intact.

The crowd murmurs.

Aizen-taicho pushes up his spectacles, "Very good… What about a level higher?"

Shi brings his hands up before him, pressing his palms flat to the surface of the shield.

 _"Sensei, should I just hold?"_

"Hado #5: Daitoppa," comes as the taicho implied.

He's blown back – the reishi shield is cracked, but very much still present.

"You need to press him, if not he'll break your defence eventually, Shi!"

He strengthens the shield with another layer, giving it edges for the wind to rush past.

One hand on the shield, the other pointed forward.

" _Condense and strike, Hado #4: Byakurai!"_ his smaller blue flash clashes with the larger, faster beam which is silently cast.

Crackling so close he can smell the ozone, he jumps back as a "Hado #1: Sho!" comes his way.

Shi counters with _"Be formed and restrain, Bakudo #1: Sai!"_ and even if only temporarily, the taicho is bound.

He phases forward, both hands forward as he materialises just before the taicho, hurrying, _"Flicker white, Bakudo #2: Shibireiyubi!"_

The man blinks just once, twice before shaking off the effects, but, "That caught me off guard, Shi-san."

Shi bows.

 _"Hinamori-sensei emphasised more on defensive techniques rather than the offensive ones."_

It's quiet for a moment.

The taicho dissipates his barrier, smiling warmly upon his division.

"As of today, Fourth Seat Hinamori Momo has been promoted to the position of Lieutenant. She will assume duties come tomorrow morning, I ask that you all serve her well."

Among the polite claps, Shi claps the loudest – because – he remembers.

* * *

"Someone who was perfect like Aizen to his men. To his not-yet fukutaicho, where did this admiration stem from? What would it take for her to question him?"

* * *

Today's may surprise you all, but I think there are too many fics with her paired off, or bashed.

I don't claim to be a huge Hinamori fan, but with Day 3, I invite your prompts to push boundaries like this.

I want to be able to reshape characters such that they gain depth, and from there explain what the world of Bleach would have been like, were you living in it.

Don't worry about the wording if you can't force it into the same opening line I will use for the chapters, I'll find my way around it.

Prompt me in the reviews, feedback much appreciated, saying hi is appreciated too!

So far, I've been writing ideas that I brainstormed last month, but have no fear, audience collaboration will come the moment you all review

Once again, I hope to receive your ideas :)

(4th November 2017)


	5. Chapter 5 - Persimmons, Gin

_5\. He'll never forget the way he treated those trees._

* * *

"Shi-kun, today you'll be going to the 3rd Division. Please convey Unohana-taicho's thanks to Ichimaru-taicho for the dried persimmons and offer to treat the people who are ill due to the ongoing persimmon season. Bring along the allergy medicine. There are always Shinigami who forget to wear out their masks and still participate in fruit picking."

 _"I understand, Fukutaicho-sama. Am I expected back by 6 still?"_

The lady shakes her head, Shi has always been quite fascinated by her blue-grey hair and the long, thin earrings.

Those swing as she shakes her head – apparently, they store reiryoku.

At least, that's what Hanataro-kun said someone said before.

" – Shi-kun?"

He bows, "Ah, yes, I will go now."

She gives him the same bemused look, waving him off, "I said you don't have to."

A smile touches his lips as he leaves the office, the stack of paperwork in his hands.

The Lieutenant is used to him spacing out now.

He's comfortable here.

Hanataro waits for him outside, holding a larger stack of paperwork meant for the 7th Division.

"Third Division, Shi?"

 _"Yeah… And I might be back late."_

"Allergy medicine is the bottom right shelf!"

Though he thanks his friend, he suspects and asks, _"Were you eavesdropping, Hanataro?"_

He is given a cheeky smile in reply.

"I was sent last year. The 3rd Division is nice. The people are easy going, their taicho is quite easy to find."

Again, Hanataro waits for him, watching over his paperwork stack as he enters the storage room.

Tucking the bottle of pills into his sleeve, marking it on the clipboard with a tick to check it out.

 _"Anything special on your end?"_

"No, just delivery. I've got kido tutorial with Isane-fukutaicho."

 _"Then you can reliably shunpo already? So quick!"_

The shorter male, _it's hard to think of him as a child despite his looks – he's older if they counted from days since waking,_ blushes at the implied praise, "Not really, but fukutaicho-sama seems to think so."

 _"Race you to the gate!"_ Shi takes the chance to get ahead as Hanataro complains.

He wins, just barely, and Hanataro sulks.

"I would have won if we both started at the same time."

 _"I know that too, that's why I have to start first."_

They part at the gate, Shi turning right, Hanataro going left.

* * *

He phases there, not due to any urgency, just that walking in between white walls has nothing much to see.

Orange and red leaves peep over the 3rd Division's walls.

It's been autumn for a while.

The dried persimmon distribution is staggered, every week there is a persimmon harvest, but distribution happens every three to four weeks.

Shi guesses that's about how long the maturing phase is.

Walking through the gates, he inhales the sweet smell of fruit and leaves together.

A woody and dusty kind of smell, on cue a Shinigami nearby sneezes.

His eyes flit over to the figure who runs towards the main house and he notes, she's not wearing a mask.

"Here to deliver paperwork?" another Shinigami rests his blade over his shoulder, a ripe persimmon in hand.

 _"Ah, yes, from the 4th Division."_

The male places the persimmon in his shallow tray, pointing towards the trees on the left.

"Taicho should be somewhere on that side, you won't miss his hair. The rest house, where everyone who is taking refuge from the pollen, is the only building without persimmons drying under its eaves."

Shi thanks the male politely, who only shakes his head, "No problem. We'll be the ones thanking you at the end of the day, anyway."

He goes back to his persimmon harvesting, on his tiptoes and stretching his sword out to get the fruits on the higher branches.

The tallest branches are over a metre out of the male's reach, even then Shi doesn't think trees should grow so short.

Shaking himself out of his musing, walking over the row of trees on the left.

The 3rd Division grounds are bordered by persimmon trees in a single row.

More of a tasteful decoration than a full-blown orchard, the ring of blazing red and orange adds an unexpected warmth to the chilly air.

"Alright, everyone! We'll stop 'ere for today, it's getting a bit ta cold to harvest the fruit without freezing of our fingers, ya?"

A returning of, "Hai, taicho!" and people climbing down from rattling step ladders.

In neat files, not unlike the rows of the trees, the Shinigami proceed with trays laden with fruit towards the main building.

Shi phases over the flow of division members, then towards the figure with silver hair.

Ending his movement in a bow, greeting the male, _"Taicho-sama, Unohana-taicho-sama sends her thanks for the dried persimmons."_

Looking up, and blinking when there's no one in front of him.

Turning around, trying to find the person he was supposed to speak to, expanding the sphere of his reiatsu's influence.

"Maa, no need ta to look. I'm 'ere, Ghostie-chan."

It bumps into his presence, muted and dull, sharp and warm, sweet and bitter.

"Paperwork?"

 _"Yes, taicho-sama."_

The male's grin quirks for a moment, "Aw so I still 'ave ta do the paperwork."

Shi follows as he leads towards the office, murmuring, _"Or you could order someone else to do so, as you choose, taicho-sama."_

His grin reverts, "So if I were ta order ya ta do it, ya would?"

Shi thinks, _Not that I know how to fill a transfer sheet, nor that I would know if you want a member back as soon as possible,_ but he replies, _"If that is what you wish, taicho-sama, then I will have to learn how to fill the forms."_

There's an undercurrent to his voice when he laughs, pushing open the door.

"Ya no fun. Shouldn't let people step all over ya, hmm Ghostie-chan?"

He means it as an afterthought, not a retort, _"That would require strength, right, taicho-sama? If the gap in strength is too wide to cross then I would rather lie down and forget."_

The taicho directs him to split the stack 70-30, larger stack on the larger table.

Shi realises he has misjudged this man.

Maybe that's why he's caught off guard when the taicho leans in.

Shi notes, _his silver hair has a purplish tint._

The grin never falters, "But some things are worth fighting for, no matter how hard it is. Don't 'cha agree?"

He thinks of something to say in reply, before passing through the taicho, remarking that, _"A ghost like me has some things that I cherish. Someone like you, taicho-sama, with many more years of living has doubtlessly many more. So in proportion to what you want to protect, your strength reflects that."_

He was non-corporeal at that moment. He chose to be, and he could choose to be.

"Ya aren't scared?"

 _"Of course I am afraid, taicho-sama."_

He laughs again, lighter this time.

"Ya an honest one. I like that."

Shi means it as a joke, though it comes out serious.

 _"When you say it like that, taicho-sama, then if you ever step all over me and I do not resist, then it will be that I respect your decision."_

The taicho opens the door, guiding him to the rest house.

"Ya shouldn't do that. What if I kill ya, Ghostie-chan?"

 _"I will have to trust you then taicho-sama."_

* * *

As directed, the captain humours him and erects a kido barrier around the rest house.

 _"Sensei said you can filter out particles with a barrier, but that traditionally kido barriers do not fall under bakudo."_

"That depends on ya, if ya can maintain concentration well enough, a couple simultaneous Enkosen or even Heki can function as a barrier. Ya'd have ta mix the chants a bit, ultimately creating ya own kido, but sure, barriers can come from bakudo. Most of tha barriers people use are built off bakudo. I think they should be considered."

The dome glows softly orange.

Shi presses his palms to the surface of the dome, channelling in his reiryoku.

 _"Calmly whip up a current. Please direct out the foreign particles. Hado #5: Daitoppa."_

The room door swings open gently, and a few curious Shinigami peer out at their captain.

A wind current carrying pollen and dust streams out of the room.

The dome starts to glow green, signalling that Shi is supplying it reiryoku in excess.

"Focus on the pollen, ghostie-chan."

He does so, and the taicho writes on the dome surface.

"Seal."

They pass through their dome, the barrier like a curtain falling over them.

A blonde male rubs at his nose, teary eyes widening when they fall on his captain.

He coughs out a sickly sounding, "Captain Ichimaru!"

The captain only grins.

"Unohana-taicho has sent us a healer again. Ghostie-chan, ya can begin with Izuru in the corner, he gets tha most sick around this time of the year."

The blonde male pipes up, "We're going by cause of illness, Healer-san. My corner is the people with allergies, please attend to the people who have physical injuries first. We just need the pills that Unohana-taicho gives us."

As if to punctuate his statement, the blonde sneezes again into his handkerchief.

He phases towards the group of about ten, tugging the bottle from his sleeve.

 _"One every six hours, with water. Please try to stay within the room. Taicho-sama has set up a pollen impermeable barrier. Can I entrust you with the bottle, Shinigami-sama?"_

The male nods vigorously.

"Kira is fine, healer-san. Fukutaicho Kira. Thank you for the aid."

He smiles, _"Shi is fine then, Kira-fukutaicho-sama. Unohana-taicho-sama advises that you wear a mask out if you choose to leave."_

As he tends to the remaining Shinigami with splinters or cuts, to one who fell off the ladder and sprained her ankle, he notes how carefully their taicho sweeps around the room.

 _"Can you tell me if it hurts?"_

Gently pressing, from above her ankle bone, downwards, around the swollen area, then, _"I'm going to check if you broke anything, okay?"_

The lady nods, but that doesn't help the short cry that escapes her when he applies just too much pressure.

His hands light up green to soothe the pain.

He presses lightly, to be able to feel the ligament pull itself back together under the surface of her skin.

"How bad is it, Ghostie-chan?"

The taicho leans over him, casting a shadow over Shi's healing light.

The lady is quick to deny any such problem, "I'm fine, taicho!"

"Maa, Furin, don' be too hasty, we wouldn't want cha to get yourself more hurt."

He tugs the standard issue medical pack from his sleeve, taking out a roll of elastic bandage.

 _"Furin-san, I am going to bandage your ankle to keep the swelling in check. Please tell me if it is too tight."_

Once more, the lady only bites her lip, not voicing out any complaint.

Shi watches for her reaction, but her eyes are unchanging – always on an edge and he asks, cautiously, _"Does it hurt?"_

She shakes her head, so he finishes up.

 _"Do not strain your leg, the swelling will have to go down naturally, Furin-san. So until you can walk steadily without pain, I strongly advise that you do not stand for extended periods."_

"Furin, ya can help with the peeling, that won't strain ya ankle. I'll tell fukutaicho that ya excused from Zanjutsu and Hoho till ya ankle's fine. Do Jizen or Kido instead, 'kay?"

Her fingers brush the edge of the bandages tenderly as she nods as if words were stuck in her throat.

Her taicho turns away, and Shi finds that his eyes automatically follow the captain's expression.

The grin doesn't fall till he turns fully away.

Shi gives her a final smile when she thanks him and Shi moves onto the last male who suffered a small cut due to the sharp edge of a branch.

"W-wait!"

Both of them whip around at the same time, and the lady flushes, as if embarrassed, but her eyes shine earnestly.

"Thank you, Ichimaru-taicho!"

* * *

He finds the taicho outside in the cold, humming as he harvests more persimmons.

Observing his technique before locating an abandoned pair of cutters, lending a hand.

 _"Aren't you cold, taicho-sama?"_

His grin remains in place.

"If I don' take them in, then they might get ruined by tha frost. That'd be a pity. 'specially these Hachiya ones. They taste better dried, better than the Fuyu that we hand out to all the divisions."

 _"Why not make a barrier for the trees and keep them warm then?"_

The man laughs.

"Ya a cute one. Ghostie-chan, not everything is meant for fighting against, not everything should be protected. If you overprotect things, you could destroy them too."

They're almost done with this tree.

 _"Your division members do appreciate you, taicho-sama."_

He makes a small noise of half acquiesce half not.

 _"Should they… be protected too?"_

Shi's not sure why he doesn't phase out, but the captain's fingertips are warm on his cheek.

"That's 'cause 'm their captain. And a captain protects his men."

His eyes were an icy blue, a contrast to the warmth he exuded.

 _"And similarly, your division members want to be able to protect you, taicho-sama."_

He lifts a basket, and makes for another of the halls.

Shi follows with the other basket.

The beaming faces of the division members tell him all either of them need to know.

The taicho guides him out to the drying room, where more of the fruit is hung.

He picks a pair of the elongated persimmons off their perch.

Drawing his blade, splitting the string that ties the two stems, handing one out to Shi.

"As a thank you," the silver-haired man offers.

He's still grinning, but it doesn't feel forced.

"I don' give these out to random people, ya know? For every fifty Fuyu that we make, we make just one dried Hachiya."

 _"Thank you, taicho-sama."_

The man laughs, shaking his head as he bites into his, so-named 'Hachiya'.

"If ya have one of those, then ya can't keep calling me that, Ghostie-chan. Call me Gin. I guess Gin-sama works as well if that's how ya like it."

Shi bites into the fruit, the jellied flesh yielding easily.

Slightly chewy, sticky, but not overly sweet.

Formalising their official acquaintance – they met in the autumn and parted in the winter.

 _"Then you should call me Shi, Gin-sama."_

* * *

"The question of, why you should fear the quiet and determined one. Why does Kira not like persimmons? What types of persimmon trees do the Third grow? What class of kido are barriers? Why doesn't the wiki put them under bakudo since they're defensive? Most importantly, what kind of person is Gin?"

* * *

First off, thank you to my first reviewer, Persimmon (Guest).

Yes, daily updates for NaNoWriMo!

I think it goes without saying that I love dried persimmons, and Gin is one my favourite characters of all time.

When I saw your name in my inbox that was the first person I thought of!

I was sad when he died, and once we knew he wasn't an actual villain, I was quite torn up about the fact that he had to turn his back on his division and his childhood best friend in order to keep them all safe.

To have made a decision like that must have hurt tremendously. But that's the kind of person Gin is, after all.

In my eyes, Gin's grins are not real smiles, they hide his inner turmoil.

His sarcasm is a shield, to keep him and everything he holds dear safe from Aizen.

I have enjoyed today, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I loved to write.

Please do drop a review, a list of questions, whoever you'd like to see next so I don't run out of steam, ya?

Hope this was an acceptable portrayal of Gin…

Bye bye (waves)

(5 November 2017)


	6. Chapter 6 - Companionship, Kuchiki Pair

_6\. He'll never forget she and her brother._

* * *

She tripped over her feet apologising, begging his pardon and Shi was utterly thrown.

This was a noble lady, bowing repeatedly.

He smiled gently, _"It's all right, you don't need to apologise so many times, my lady."_

Bending down to pick up the scattered flowers, placing them in the basket he dropped.

The lady's kimono creasing as she drops to a crouch, her scarred hands quickly picking up the sakura flowers that were blown in her direction.

He offers her a hand to help her up once they've collected pretty much all the things he picked.

"Oh..! You must be the healer Unohana-taicho recommended?"

Shi nods, giving the young miss a side glance as they walk towards the kitchen area.

 _"Not so much a recommendation as she ordered Kuchiki-taicho-sama to have me over, my lady."_

The servants of the Kuchiki Mansion are polite but warm and kind, ever ready to serve.

He dares to say that they would give their lives readily for the Kuchiki Lord and Lady.

Still, they disapprove when he does not chase the lady out of the kitchen.

It must be a sight to see, the young lady dressed in an elaborate blue-white kimono dashing about the kitchen with its white marble tiles.

"Oh! Wait a bit, healer-san, the knives are in this drawer!"

Each time, responding with a smile.

"Water? Um, boiled water… this pot?"

Soft thanks.

Patiently, waiting for her to find her own way.

"Why do we wash them though?"

Shi carefully demonstrates how to spot the signs of disease.

Entrusting the lady who is sheltered by her own brother with a task she does not expect.

 _"Because we have to ensure not a single flower is dirty before we dry them. They'll be frozen in their current state, so a spoilt flower will only spoil the rest."_

Her violet eyes, a pretty complement to the lavender she's handling, widen dramatically.

She returns to her mind-numbing task with vigour – he tells her not to be worried and ask freely.

Then chopping off the woody stems, discarding dried leaves and keeping mainly the blossoms.

"Personally, I am worried that nii-sama will scoff at the thought of plants used for healing. Usually, he goes to find Unohana-taicho for reiryoku healing. But then again, nii-sama rarely gets hurt. And when he does, it's usually because of my mistakes."

She murmurs it quietly, head bent over the chopping board.

Shi hums, _"I am sure someone who loves you so much doesn't place the emphasis on your mistake, but his duty to protect you."_

Her knife slamming onto the marble countertop, her voice raising, "But I don't need to be protected. Nii-sama shouldn't be treating me like a child. I'm a Shinigami, I can protect myself."

He goes on sorting the sakura blossoms as if she hadn't just had an outburst.

Shi understands vaguely, how cooped up the lady must feel when placed into restrictive kimono and tagged with her formal title.

 _"Does Kuchiki-taicho-sama know how you feel, my lady?"_

She frowns as she cuts off another blemished petal.

Voice holding an echo of mournfulness, "Sometimes I feel that no one understands how I feel, much less nii-sama. He won't even talk to me. He avoids me at mealtimes, stays at his division to avoid family dinners, makes me go for stuffy family meetings and yet won't let the elders even address me. How am I supposed to do anything?"

They spread the flowers out on a drying tray.

 _"To you, what does he mean by his gestures?"_

"He's suffocating me because he's scared he can't keep his promise to Hisana-sama."

He tries not to pry.

 _"Could it not be because he cares for you?"_

Shi feels a cool, sweeping presence entering the home.

Lady Rukia is too engrossed in placing the flowers to notice.

"I wish he would just talk to me like I exist. Or at least come home for dinner. That's good enough too."

Drying flowers for potpourri is a laborious process, Unohana-sama insisted he does it instead of other methods because "Kuchiki-taicho will benefit from something with a human touch rather than running himself ragged and demanding that I keep healing his spiritual form."

Shi doesn't complain, of course.

He's happy to have something else to commit to, he'd been feeling rather aimless after Hinamori-sensei became Aizen-taicho-sama's fukutaicho.

 _"I believe today Kuchiki-taicho-sama has come home early, my lady. Why not ask him if he's eaten dinner?"_

It's barely past six, the chance is high and the self-declared self-reliant Shinigami gives him a firm nod, brushing down her kimono and leaving the kitchen.

The servants in the next kitchen are already in the midst of cooking.

Rukia had earlier explained that they would cook a large spread even when only she ate. So when he didn't eat as well, the dining room would feel very empty.

* * *

The lavender bunches dry beautifully and the sakura cluster together like snow.

Daily, they move them about, every other day adding some fresh flowers.

He watches as the Kuchiki Lady narrows her eyes and picks out some less than perfect flowers.

Shi wouldn't pay such attention to such detail – potpourri is a labour of love, not an empty job.

"Nii-sama isn't coming home for dinner today…"

The Kuchiki Lord had returned for dinner the past week, and every day, the miss working with him would be pleasantly surprised, as if she had expected him not to.

Each day, telling him that she was sure he wouldn't return that day.

He was happy to announce when he felt the Sixth Division Captain's presence, just to see her face light up.

And yet today, her brother did what she expected him to do – not come home for dinner.

She withdrew back into her shell of sadness and self-criticism.

"Maybe it was because of yesterday? I accidentally laughed when he dropped a dumpling on the table…"

He arches his eyebrow, quirking his lips to convey his amusement so the lady does not misunderstand.

 _"I do not think Kuchiki-sama would think poorly of you for laughing, Rukia-sama. If anything, he'd be embarrassed."_

She holds her chin in her hand as she squats in her yukata.

"Or do you think it's because I wore a yukata instead? Does he disapprove of me not acting my standing again?"

 _"I think he would understand that a Shinigami used to the loose shihakusho would be uncomfortable in a restrictive kimono if you explained that."_

She sighs again and they continue sifting through the dried flowers and half-dried ones.

Shi places a hand on her shoulder, smiling, _"If you worry so, why not bring dinner to him? If you are so inclined, you can bring his favourite or something."_

He can tell she's mulling it over.

They speed up their pace and trundle off to the next kitchen.

Rukia invokes her position in the house and the chef is clearly amused.

"And this is Wakame Ambassador! Byakuya-nii-sama created him."

She gives the chef specific instructions on the size and shape of the dumplings, via drawings and elaboration at great length.

 _"Kuchiki-taicho-sama must like the sea, then, Rukia-sama?"_

She hums quietly as she adds in eyebrows made with seaweed, "I guess you could say so. But we don't have beaches in the afterlife."

The lunchbox snaps shut and Shi watches the lady stack two in a bag, adding two pairs of chopsticks as well.

 _"Well, then, where did the seaweed come from?"_

* * *

She looks hesitant only the moment she reaches out to knock on her brother's door.

Shi looks curiously at her and Rukia looks up at him, biting her lip.

"Do you think he'll like it?"

He doesn't make a habit of lying, so he only tells her, _"It's your best effort, is it not, my lady?"_

Personally, Shi isn't quite sure what to make of the dumpling rabbit _("Chappy! His name is Chappy!")_ or the dumpling Wakame Ambassador.

Brushing down her pink-white yukata one last time, she gives him a smile and firm nod.

"Wish me luck, Shi-san!"

He reaches out to pat her on the head.

 _"Good luck, Rukia-sama."_

His fingers are only half-solid, wispy reiryoku brushing the top of her head, but she takes the gesture as it is.

The young noble knocks smartly on the door, waiting for the cool reply, "Enter."

Shi knows that the taicho was likely aware of their approach the moment they left the Kuchiki Grounds, he stays long enough to see Rukia disappear into the room.

And yet the man reacts with enough natural surprise so that his younger sister is not put off.

"Rukia. What are you doing here?"

The door closes and Shi imagines her reply, full of her assertiveness and desire to get to know her brother.

 _["I brought you dinner, nii-sama! So we can eat together."]_

His lips lift into a smile as he bows, side stepping the Sixth Division Vice-captain who sports a pair of expensive looking shades.

 _They are cute together._

 _More than the bunny or seaweed creature at any rate._

He wonders what news she'll share tomorrow.

The potpourri is almost complete, another day or so, he'll end his stint at the Kuchiki Mansion.

Shi will be sad to go, but perhaps he can add sibling reconciliation to his list of completed tasks by then.

Ruefully, he thinks, _Unohana-sama really goes all out. To use me and use them, but I am thankful. Thankful to have a place._

* * *

Hanataro asks it of him, and despite knowing that Unohana-sama will be unhappy, Shi decides that it's the more correct option to choose.

 _"I will ask to see Kuchiki-taicho-sama, in that time, make sure the cells are cleared, Hana-kun."_

He finishes his rounds quickly and sets off for the Kuchiki Mansion

 _Lady Rukia must be hungry._

His partner sets off for the Sixth Division's holding cells under the cover of his job as the on-rotation janitor.

It may have been improper, it may still be, but Kuchiki-sama has never barred him from visiting Rukia-sama in their home.

Shi takes that as mild acceptance.

The young lady used to joke that even if he did, he wouldn't be able to prevent Shi from entering anyway.

"He can't stop the Shinigami Women Association either, so…"

The servants are at ease with his presence whether he comes through the door or through the wall.

Today, particularly, he guesses they've been waiting for him.

Already, the chef's skilled hands shaping onigiri with gentler curves, chubbier cheeks on the rabbit – with fishcake as markings on the face, just like the last rabbit plushie Hinamori got for Rukia on her last trip to the human world.

Some cucumber sticks and sliced rolled omelette by the side, both Rukia's favoured snacks.

"Rukia-sama will be hungry, Healer-sama, we ask that you take the food to her."

The heartache in their voice that maintains Rukia will be released without delay.

Shi nods, _"Of course."_

Another servant packs a box with rice and curry, pushing it across to him, as a bribe for him to pass on.

None of them doubts that Kuchiki-sama loves his sister, they often doubt if he shows it enough.

As much as possible, it becomes the role of the staff to encourage interaction that would lead to harmony within the household.

They took it on after seeing Rukia-sama's earnest efforts, in a bid to support her.

Hurrying towards the holding cells, going past the main building, holding his reiatsu tight around him, _accidentally,_ letting it slip before the office.

 _Pretending_ to be sneaky, and _acting_ like a janitor.

 _[Sure, it's just an act, but they both have to.]_

Reacting in _surprise_ when he's ambushed by the Kuchiki Head who arches an eyebrow at him.

"Healer Shi."

He bows, "Merely a janitor today, Kuchiki-taicho-sama."

Shi trails obediently behind the tall and imposing man, he cuts them a clean path to the dungeons.

Kuchiki-sama's expression never falls, the division members whisper of his cold heart – his cruelty even towards his younger sibling.

Rukia looks small like that, curled up in the corner of a too large, too cold cell.

Hanataro hurries forward to greet the Captain, and at his superior's behest, opens the cell that was supposed to be off-limits.

Shi smiles at Hanataro, and his shoulders sag in relief.

"You are dismissed, Yamada. The spirit will take over your duties."

He never calls him a 'ghost'. Apparently, it's too uncouth.

'Spectre' would be too malicious, 'Healer' too general and perhaps presumptuous that they were interacting in the capacity of a Healer and patient.

Under the Kuchiki Lord's keen eye, he gently taps Rukia.

She had been talking to Hanataro moments ago, but they have to keep up this charade.

Rukia appreciates the nuances of Kuchiki pride, Shi isn't ashamed to say he doesn't.

 _"Rukia-sama, please eat some, to keep up your strength."_

She tries for a smile, the fear in her eyes could break lesser spirits, but her brother only looks back impassive.

"You will be released soon," comes his rumbling assurance.

Shi bows.

 _"The cell is clean, Kuchiki-taicho-sama."_

Pushing the second box over to him, watching the man arch an eyebrow at him.

He smiles again, _"It so happened that there was a second box. And the box happened to have curry rice in it. Just so happened to be, Kuchiki-sama."_

A drop of the 'Taicho', a carefully worded change of context.

"And I don't suppose Rukia will have the appetite to eat it. Nor can we risk someone else coming and finding a box of food in a prisoner's cell."

The lady coughs around her onigiri.

"Nii-sama, did you just make a joke..?"

"You are dismissed, Healer Shi."

Because these are nobles with money, power and prestige, they are not above using it, but they are above abusing it.

There's a difference between the two.

Come hell and high water (not that there were oceans in the afterlife), Shi knows that Rukia will be protected by her older brother.

* * *

"Is there another reason for Byakuya to act so coldly towards Rukia? Does Rukia care for her Nii-sama? Are there beaches in Soul Society?"

* * *

It's always been one of my headcanons that Byakuya doesn't see Rukia as Hisana No 2. If that were the case, he would have married Rukia, but he didn't. So somewhere along the way, he must have differentiated between the two. 'Pride' is a fickle concept that killed Kaien Shiba. 'Pride' is the epitome of Kuchiki Byakuya, at the same time, his 'pride' is his shield from the rest of the world.

Even the strongest knight lowers his shield before his king.

Here was some Rukia + Byakuya.

Hope you all enjoyed, review please!

(6 October 2017)


	7. Chapter 7 - Duty, Tenth Division

_7\. He'll never forget that another minute means death._

* * *

"Shi-san, Hanataro-kun, Taicho has decided that you two will be sent out to Rukongai with the Tenth Division for their routine Hollow Eradication patrol. I believe they'll be doing a sweep of their districts in the West, the 36th to 58th. The last time the Division was caught off guard and sustained a few casualties. Hitsugaya-taicho expressed his desire that this next time no casualties be suffered."

"B-but you're sending only us, Isane-fukutaicho?"

She seems quite unconcerned, replying, "You two are among our few combat capable healers. Besides, Shi-san has large reserves and you have your zanpakuto. The Tenth Division will have offence covered, so don't worry about that."

A hell butterfly floats in to land on Isane's nose, and she smiles.

"Lieutenant Matsumoto will be going along as well. She's strong, so she'll protect you both. Ladies' honour."

Hanataro straps on his medic pack, Shi only slips his into his limitless sleeves.

 _"Hisagomaru is in our room, I think."_

With a soft pulse, Hanataro confirms that, and they return to their quarters.

 _"At least you didn't leave him about this time, Hana. The last time you nearly lost him."_

The smaller medic blushes apologetically, patting his zanpakuto on its circular guard.

The half-filled red gauge by the side glows back in reply, a quiet 'I forgive you,' because Hisagomaru is very much like his wielder in that aspect.

Clutching the mission dispatch sheet, reading it quickly, "Western Gate at 11 a.m. So if we leave now, we can go at a nice pace."

Folding it in half, then into quarters, tucking it into the folds of his shihakusho.

 _"Unless you have anything else to deal with, sounds all right to me."_

They match their speeds with each other, Shi's phasing to Hanataro's shunpo, slowing and speeding up in turn to follow one another.

In constant flux, a state of maintenance to remain together.

A smile plays on his lips as his friend casts him a backward glance.

 _Friendships, like all relationships, require effort on both sides,_ Hanataro smiles back and Shi finds that he's found a place to stay.

Shi phases forward, looking back only to be caught off guard as Hanataro shunpos to the same spot – they share a laugh before Shi phases further.

Checking back is not necessary since they'd see when the other failed to take the lead, but both appreciate the sentiment anyway.

* * *

When they reach they're early as expected, the Tenth Division members would arrive in a group, hopefully on time.

Shi phases through the sticky sekkiseki stone wall, greeting Jidanbou, who waves his large hand back.

Voice booming so loudly Hanataro can hear him through the meter-thick stone, "Ghost-kun, you're going out?"

 _"With Hanataro to help the Tenth Division."_

"Ah, Hitsugaya-taicho's squad? That's a responsible squad like I always say. Come, I'll open the door for Hanataro-kun. Not all of us are as blessed as you, Ghost-kun."

Shi laughs, _"The same way not all share your great strength, Jidanbou-sama."_

The giant laughs, the rumbling in his throat like the rolling of clouds in the grey skies above.

He closes a large finger around an equally large, brass ring, pulling the normal Shinigami sized door open with ease – the door is keyed to his reiatsu, the same way it is keyed to the reiatsu of the highest seated officers of every division.

The Twelfth tracks the door's opening and closing, along with who does the opening and closing, the walls are primed to suck the reiryoku of foreign objects dry.

Hanataro slips out through the door and Jidanbou seals the door shut again.

"Good morning, Jidanbou-sama!"

Shi looks on as they chat animatedly, not intruding on their conversation since the pair are long-time friends.

Jidanbou doesn't say it aloud, but he's clearly very fond of their smaller, meeker friend.

Sometimes, Shi wonders what would have happened to him if Hana had not been the first person he met.

Hanataro is too kind, too soft, Shi doesn't enjoy watching him, or the rest of the Fourth's healers being stepped all over.

Stone grinds against stone, and Jidanbou helps the person on the other side of the door.

Once the sekkiseki barrier opens, Shi notes that it stops muting the twenty or so presences, most notably, the heat winding around the cold like a cat.

Jidanbou bends down in a mark of respect, "Hitsugaya-taicho, Matsumoto-fukutaicho!"

The taicho breaks a moment from his discussion with his fukutaicho, "Thanks, Jidanbou," a smile crossing his countenance before it melts back to a frown.

The guard is unperturbed and gently pushes both healers towards the group of Shinigami.

"Taicho! Well, here are our two healers from the Fourth, Unohana-taicho picked them herself, so why don't you ask them instead?"

"Matsumoto, they're only supposed to heal, you cannot shove tactical decisions onto our own officers let alone our healers."

Hanataro steps forward to introduce them both, "I am Seventh Seat Yamada and this is Healer Shi of the Fourth. How would you have us assist your division?"

The white-haired captain nods in recognition, holding a hand out to stop his lieutenant, "Keep to the rest of the group. This is a mere routine hollow extermination exercise, we are not expecting major problems. Lieutenant Matsumoto and I are more than capable that taking on hollows. On no occasion should you stray from us. Unohana-taicho has charged us with your protection. If we get split up, you will stay by Lieutenant Matsumoto's side."

The taller lady gives them a reassuring smile.

"Don't look so worried, Yamada-san, I promised Isane-chan I'll take care of both of you."

Captain Hitsugaya takes lead, two Shinigami flanking him. The rest fall into a group formation of a tri-prong; four to a cluster, one group to the north, south, east and west of the healer pair.

Finally, Lieutenant Matsumoto brings up the rear, but the group moves relatively quickly.

Some take a while to adjust to the pacing and Shi can see the Lieutenant considering suggesting that the group slow themselves.

Shi is fine, phasing in short bursts, and he could carry Hanataro, but he doubts he can manage the slower Shinigami lagging behind them.

"It'll be over a day before we stop in the 20th District for our first planned break, don't wear yourselves out too fast."

The Division members manage back a, "Yes Ma'am!" though Shi questions if all can last.

Catching Hanataro's slight frown, they both share the same concern that in the case of a Hollow ambush half the group would be unfit for battle.

* * *

The district numbers are not always prominently displayed at the gateway to the next, but every fifteen, twenty streets there's a new whisper to the air.

Maybe it's the lack of ambient reiatsu that saturates the air closer to Seireitei, Shi notes that it becomes easier for the Shinigami to maintain their pace as the air becomes more reiatsu hungry, they can form their footholds more quickly.

They aren't going anywhere near their top speed, but that's not the point.

Seireitei alone is massive, with shunpo at their own speed, it took Hanataro and him about three hours to travel to the Western Gate.

They've been going at faster but they last saw the 15th District's sign ten minutes ago as they flashed through the decorated torii gates – it's been nearly six hours since they left, meaning they've covered the distance of about twice of Seireitei's diameter.

Shi fumbles with numbers, trying to find a fitting figure to place to the radius of Seireitei to the shortest distance between each district.

Making things more complicated, the streets are not straight, so they bend occasionally. The whole group is travelling on the ground because compared to travelling across rooftops with shunpo, it uses less reiryoku and leaves less reiatsu floating about.

"That would attract hollows, Shi," Hana reminds him because above and beyond, the Shinigami like to think that they do the people of Rukongai a great service.

The dark eyes of some civilians, eyes that only get darker and more accusing as they travel out further.

While today (or tomorrow, or the day after) they're only going to the 36th District, Takenomori, 'Bamboo Grove', up till the 58th District, Kaminaritaki, 'Thunder Falls', Shi wonders what the West's 80th District must look like.

Desperate people and hard eyes, bare feet and bloodied hands, black hearts and deaf ears – if the people in Seireitei had the right to judge the people whom they cannot save.

The captain's frown would get more severe with each progressive district, but Shi's afraid to say his face is set in a constant frown, it doesn't change.

A young Shinigami near the back falters but the group continues.

Before Lieutenant Matsumoto can call the squad to a halt, Hanataro flashes back to pick up the male.

Shi slows down and offers to refill the shinigami's reiryoku stores.

Hanataro supports the unseated officer until the Lieutenant insists.

"You two should save your energy, taicho is not an unreasonable person."

* * *

He got shoved out of the way by the Captain who drew his blade and lunged for thin air.

A terrifying growl reveals that there's something in the vicinity.

Lieutenant Matsumoto is quick to gesture the squad back, they take up positions on the surrounding roofs.

"There's more than one. Be on guard."

As he delivers his warning he reverses his grip on his sword to plunge it backwards.

The monster materialises, bleeding black heavily, but still alive.

Hanataro readies Hisagomaru and Shi phases to behind his friend.

Like an unspoken partnership, Shi begins his chant, _"Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini. Look upon yourself with horror and tear out your own throat."_

Maybe symbolically, the creature bares its teeth and makes a lunge at them, exposing its throat in the process.

Hisagomaru scores a cut across the thick mask as Shi finishes up, _"Bakudo #9: Horin."_

He throws his hand out like a whip and an orange kido rope materialises.

The air is thick with his reiatsu, the exact thing the Shinigami had tried to avoid in their travel.

Then again, Hanataro thrusts his blade in, splitting the mask – The captain has jumped back into the fray, his reiatsu like a cold fog settling over the district.

This monster's keening cry follows its comrades.

The foul presence now taints the air, mingling with the different feeling reiatsu.

 _"Be firm and repel_ , _Hado #1: Sho!"_ just enough to thwart the advance of another hollow on the unprotected back of one of the younger officers.

Matsumoto-fukutaicho-sama swoops in after to bisect the hollow.

His hand maintains his hold on his Horin and he pulls it around to snag the leg of a nearby, bi-pedalled hollow.

Shi pulls and the creature howls, Hanataro angles Hisagomaru.

With co-operation they kill another, black fluid seeping out of the corpse before it turns to dust.

They're both caught up in this detachment from the battle, the division members have formed a ring around them, shielding from the brunt of the assault and leaving them no gaps.

For their protection, of course, but being in the centre and not fighting, if anything, makes them more anxious.

Both of them share a nod and they choose to split up.

Because healers are good at fixing wounds, but preventing the wounds is more efficient in completing the overall task.

 _"Condense and strike, Hado #4: Byakurai!"_

If the young-looking lady officer was surprised, she didn't express it as well as her thankfulness.

Shi presses his hand to that aggressive hollow's mask, next to where the girl's blade was jammed, and blue lightning arcs through the whole black form.

Hanataro shunpos to cover the blind spot of the division member who had lagged behind a few hours back.

Their eyes meet – even though they have split up they are watching out for the other, as all Fourth Division members do.

They won't expect another division to cover for them because in Seireitei, what are healers?

Across the street, from the roof next over Hanataro fires a Kido #31: Shakkaho.

Shi phases into its line of fire and phases away with the Shinigami who was pulled from the main group.

The fireball, though small due to the omission of the chant, brushes the roof forming soot marks but careful not to damage the structure.

It melts a hole in the mask of this greenish-coloured hollow with its mask mid-chest.

* * *

They are caught up in the heat of battle and the clashing of blades and wails of monsters but Shi notes that the civilians have wisely cleared the area.

He phases in, out, in, pulling the Tenth Division's members from the horns, arms and limbs of the monsters they battle.

No doubt they would have been alive if those hits had landed, but a healer's principle is not to waste energy healing wounds that can be prevented.

Arguably, that's not what either Taicho had in mind when he and Hana were sent for this deployment, but thus far no one had been removed from the battle.

Hanataro goes to the aid of Hitsugaya-taicho-sama who is swarmed by a new group of hollows that decided menacing the strongest was the most effective tactic.

The intelligence level of these lumbering, varied, sometimes invisible monsters is intriguing to Shi.

He remembers that hollows come from souls and thus wonders, as he fires off another Byakurai, if the monsters retain their humanity.

The taicho beats back his enemies easily and Hanataro has scarcely killed one when the rest are decapitated smoothly.

Said taicho frowns lightly before nodding, acknowledging that they are combatants.

They briefly contemplate the thought that the Lieutenant was supposed to keep them by her side before casting their thoughts aside.

More people can be helped, but healers don't have to be limited, no?

Shinigami are skilled.

Skilled at killing that is, and Shi questions if that is right.

Hitsugaya-taicho-sama explains it as their duty to the people of Rukongai who depend on them for protection.

Matsumoto-fukutaicho-sama explains it as their duty to protect the citizens of Rukongai because they have power.

Shi prefers the Lieutenant's honesty.

Hanataro attends to their only major injury, a gash on the forearm of a reckless trainee.

Any of them could have died in that hour-long battle, but none of them did.

That's all that matters, but none of them would forget their fear.

The insistence of life to cling to its own life at the expense of the monsters'.

Now the question was, what defines 'monster'?

* * *

"What is the security of Seireitei like? What motivates the Shinigami, and what is a 'hollow'? If the vizards were considered monsters as bad as the hollow, does everything that the hollows touch become evil, or anything that challenges the Shinigami become 'evil'?"

* * *

Today doesn't have a lot of a character focus, so 'Tenth Division' is the specific tag I would want. Without that, Hitsugaya and Matsumoto are the best I can do.

After the Quincy Arc, I find myself questioning if Soul Society is really all it's supposed to be.

A little of a Rukongai map and the district allocations according to the divisions, not a lot, but just my idea.

Happy to see 2 favourites and a follow (Procrastinatingismyforte & Sanz0girl) :))))

I really do want to hear from you all, I want to write what you all want to read!

So please review!

(7 November 2017)

(reposted 27 August 2019 due to mis-copying when originally posted)


	8. Chapter 8 - Reflections, Komamura

_8\. He'll never forget that the other was kind._

* * *

Komamura-taicho cut an imposing figure in the crowd, with his white haori and the golden helmet over his head.

That paired oddly with the little puppy at his feet.

The little puppy occasionally bumped into shin guards as gold as the helmet over its master's head.

The crowd parted for the man none too subtly because they were afraid.

 _Of?_ Shi wanted to ask.

 _If you can kill and you are strong, why are you afraid?_

Unlike the Shinigami, Shi is not sure whether he can kill them, he hasn't tried.

He paused to stare and wound up being on the cleared path meant for the Seventh Division's Taicho.

So he phased out and went for the office instead.

He knocked on the door politely before going through it, the Lieutenant was fast asleep.

He sets the paperwork down on the Captain's larger desk, raising a hand to tap the sleeping man.

Seeing the sunglasses askew, brush still damp with ink, Shi had assumed the Lieutenant fell asleep unknowingly, that he would get in trouble once his captain came back.

 _"Tetsuzaemon-fukutaicho-sama."_

The sleeping figure makes a small sound of protest rather than wake up, Shi moves to shake him.

"There's no need," comes a low voice from the door.

"The paperwork can wait a while. Since I too am resting, Lieutenant Iba should as well. That is only fair."

The little puppy trots up to him and tries to bite his robe.

Understandably, the dog runs back to its master when its teeth pass right through Shi.

Shi bows in respect, _"Taicho-sama."_

The Captain nods, helmet and all.

"Would you like to join me in walking Goro?"

Shi wonders if perhaps, the dog is a new dog, and the captain a new dog owner.

 _"It doesn't like me, taicho, I don't think that would be wise."_

His large figure seems to almost shudder with the sound of his sigh.

"All creatures fear what they cannot understand. Goro does not hate you, Shi-san."

 _"If I do not understand myself, then, does that mean I fear myself?"_

The office door closes behind them, hiding the sleeping lieutenant from the rest of the division.

Shi can't see the eyes of the taicho through the slits of his helmet, but the little dog again attempts to rub its cheek against his robes.

This time Shi solidifies the cloth.

The puppy is overjoyed, running circles around him and yipping.

It takes effort to maintain his physicality, so Shi goes back to being a floating ghost.

The puppy's curiosity is satisfied, it has convinced itself that it understands.

"Goro quite likes you, in fact."

* * *

They meander through the hills and grassy training grounds of the Seventh.

Goro chases butterflies, Shi keeps in step with the taicho who requested his company.

He asks, _"Why is your division afraid, taicho-sama?"_

The man looks at him with a solemn air, and he says, "It reflects my failing as their captain. Because I am afraid, they cannot be fearless."

 _"All men are afraid, taicho-sama. But, what are you, someone so strong, afraid of?"_

It's quiet for a while as Goro tumbles around in the grass and Komamura-taicho only watches his dog.

Shi looks up at him from the corner of his eye, the sunlight glinting off the helmet then forcing him to look away.

Shi has too much free time on his hands, maybe that's what the taicho thinks.

"I am afraid of myself, Shi-san."

Shi claps twice and Goro pauses in its frolicking before bounding over to jump into Shi's open arms.

 _The dog is trusting, and unafraid,_ Shi thinks.

 _"Goro-kun is not, is he?"_

The puppy leaps out of Shi's hold and the taicho catches the puppy in his gauntleted arms.

Said puppy licks the captain's face mask, bright eyes open without a care in the world.

Komamura-taicho rubs his dog's head, before tilting his head down to meet Shi's even gaze.

From behind the gold mask, Shi catches the flash of gold, slit eyes.

Gold like his mask, and he can't help the smile that touches his lips in reflex.

As if he feels like the taicho is looking for assurance – there's something not quite human about those eyes.

 _He wears a helmet and gauntlets out and he's certainly no medieval knight._

 _"And neither am I."_

Shi can't tell if the taicho takes his statement at face value, or if he really can't see that Shi is just slightly afraid.

But the eyes, animalistic as their characteristics may have been, are kind.

He reaches out to stroke Goro's ears, the taicho's voice rumbles in reply.

"And therefore, I should not be afraid of myself?"

Shi laughs.

 _"Not afraid of yourself, your power, your looks, or even other people or how they will view you."_

* * *

The next time taicho sends him over, she tells him, "Please pass along to Komamura-taicho my regards. Additionally, my comments that the weights he uses must be in moderation, lest they restrict the development of his actual physique. Those impair and limit his maximum physical capabilities."

And he conveys it as he is bid, Komamura-taicho agrees to seek out Unohana-taicho.

"You have a way with words, Shi-san."

Shi smiles.

 _"Only because you seem to want to be convinced."_

Goro begs for treats and the captain obliges.

"I will be taking my helmet off from tomorrow onwards. I would like to no longer be afraid."

Shi nods slowly.

 _"I will come by another time then, taicho-sama."_

He personally believes that the Shinigami would take to their obviously different captain better, without his presence.

He wasn't expecting the taicho to pull off his helmet.

The voice is a low rumble, edging on sadness, "I understand if you do not wish to associate with me."

Shi is quick to blurt that, _"No, taicho-sama, I apologise, my presence has prevented you from mingling with your own division members because I make them uncomfortable. It's nothing wrong on your end-"_

The vulpine face that became exposed to him and Shi's eyes widen, his statement stopping short and the taicho looks oddly vulnerable.

Goro whines quietly, burrowing his small head in the folds of the captain's robes.

His gold eyes seem to shrink back, pupils constricting and his whiskers twitch.

 _"Do you have a sharper sense of smell and hearing as well, taicho-sama? What about teeth? Are there more Shinigami like you?"_

Shi comes alive, questioning and accepting because while he's not really sating his curiosity he's trying desperately to assure the taicho that the problem is not him but Shi himself.

The gold-clad shoulders sag in relief before his ears twitch back in light embarrassment.

"Yes to all except the last, Shi-san."

Goro licks the hand that settles on his back, trying to provide comfort.

Shi makes the effort to smile, _"Your looks don't bother me, taicho-sama and I'm sure your division members won't care about how you look because they remember you as their taicho."_

They watch Goro for a while longer before the taicho walks back to his division without replacing his helmet.

Later, on his way out, Shi overhears a couple of officers.

"Komamura-taicho is a werewolf! I didn't know those were real, it's kinda cool that we get the only werewolf… Then that means we're pretty much his pack, aren't we?"

"You read too many trashy human novels, but I agree to a certain extent. Taicho has always placed our wellbeing as his priority and because of that he is impartial."

"… I glad he trusts us now. He must have really been worried about what people would think. He's managed to overcome his fear of other people passing judgement. We should do something to show him we support him."

Shi is happy.

So is taicho, going by the warm smile on her face.

"When he comes by, I would like you to attend to him, Shi-kun. You have a way with words, the same way I have with fear."

* * *

Unlike most who saw him first as a ghost then accepted him as one, Shi believes that both he and Komamura-taicho saw each other when they first met.

Before seeing those different eyes, he had felt compassion and they were together in knowing that they were different and thus feared as unnatural.

"If someone like I have gotten a chance from Soutaicho-dono, then I believe Shi-san has proved himself deserving of the opportunity Unohana-taicho has extended."

Kindness not in gestures of pity but in silent empathy, from insisting that he be joined that one spring afternoon.

When Shi reflects on it, perhaps the taicho saw it as helping, the same way Shi had intended when both agreed to meet again, _"Sometime."_

"Sometime soon would be good. Goro is fond of you, Shi-san."

 _"Of chewing my regenerating robe, I am sure."_

A deep chuckle and neither of them saying that they felt comfortable with one another.

The little dog bridging their awkwardness laps up the attention happily so no one complains.

The lieutenant always wakes up to a larger pile of paperwork and a captain in a higher mood, both of which contribute to greater productivity.

So while the captain spends less time working, he gets to know more division members because he's open to the thought of treating them like his people rather than the people whom he wants to treat fairly.

Tetsuzaemon is happy for his captain, he knows that his taicho's internal misgivings and insecurities are crushing but if they could be lifted for a moment, he would bear the weight of the world.

Yamamoto isn't sure what to make of the development of the stray whom he brought into Soul Society centuries ago.

When people had protested Komamura would have proved them wrong yet acceptance and understanding were always out of reach.

The protestors died off, one by one, till the captain ranks were filled with people who only knew the werewolf's masked visage.

The Captain-Commander was surprised when the captain removed his mask during their last meeting.

None of the captains had an adverse reaction thankfully.

While Mayuri had a whale of a time describing to Tousen the structure of a wolf's head, Komamura did not seem too bothered.

It raised the question of his origins and why there were no others quite like him, but then again no one knew where someone like Mayuri appeared from, so they both got origin stories.

Komamura opened up about the story of his ancestry, the wolf spirits cast away from civilisation to constant exposure to Reiryoku.

Mayuri theorised that that suppressed the cursed taint on the reincarnated souls and over time Komamura became more like a Shinigami.

"If you ever stop being a Shinigami you may well regress back to the state of your ancestors."

Half a warning because the scientist shed some light on his own origins, because, "Yes, surprise, I am quite human, as much as you plebeians. And all humans are monsters, so monsters can be human as well, no?"

* * *

"Did Tousen mean those cruel words? How is Komamura as a person? Does Mayuri count as human?"

* * *

I'm late and suffering from writer's block, send help please :(

(8-9 November 2017)


	9. Chapter 9 - Intention, Kyoraku

_9\. He'll never forget the rain._

* * *

It had rained before today, but today was memorable because he didn't do anything much.

* * *

A taicho invited him out to drink, he declined, shooing the hell butterfly away from his patients.

* * *

Unohana-taicho looked particularly amused.

* * *

The next day it rained another hell butterfly fluttered through the window as he filled out another transfer sheet for Isane-fukutaicho.

It landed on his table, purple-black wings flapping gently, the same lazy drawl repeating his request.

"If it's any persuasion, Jushiro-chan is here with me."

Shi frowns because it sounds almost like a threat.

And because Unohana-taicho mentioned that recently the Thirteenth's captain had not been feeling well, Shi asks to be excused for the day.

His captain gives the butterfly a look before nodding.

* * *

It was raining when he stepped out of the office quarters, he phased to the gate.

The raindrops tingled a little when they passed right through him.

"Where is a pretty lady like you headed in the rain, without an umbrella even?"

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on his end when that lazy drawl greeted him.

 _"And I would question why you would drag Ukitake-taicho-sama out into the rain for fun, taicho-sama."_

He cast his gaze around but found neither hide nor hair of the white-haired captain.

Shi phases off for Ugendo Quarters, knowing the male will follow at a distance.

The floral kimono and straw hat-wearing captain knows full well that he is far from another of his female conquests.

Unohana-taicho notes that he finds it fun, the same way he teases his vice-captain who is also his niece.

"It's his way of affection with subtleness in the reason for affection," she reminds him because the Eight's Kyoraku-taicho is a well-known womaniser.

"When Ukitake and Kyroraku-taicho were both younger, there were many rumours that said they were together. You may decide for yourself if such rumours hold water, Shi-kun."

Unohana-taicho jokes when she says this, but Shi can't quite get over the male's womanising ways, it's uncomfortable to be on the receiving side of such advances.

He feels sorry for the division members unlucky enough to garner the man's interest.

 _Though, perhaps, that is what they aimed for?_

The captain keeps up with him effortlessly.

"I'm hurt that you think so lowly of me, Shi-chan, I would never do that to Jushiro."

 _"I would not have put it past you to guilt trip Ukitake-taicho-sama, or taicho-sama to have given in on the account of your friendship regardless of the toll to his health."_

There's something in those eyes which meet his.

"I would never."

Shi phases forward silently moving a distance before offering a contemplative, _"I am assured."_

Kyoraku-taicho falls back on dramatics, pressing a hand to his chest and declaring that, "You're always so cold, Shi-chan."

 _"No colder than your niece. Ise-fukutaicho-sama has been giving me tips."_

'Niece' is a reminder yet the man brushes it off with abandon, wooing the lady to the end of her wits.

Shi questions if it is romantic interest or familial duty, he also toys with the problem of inter-rank relationships because it blends the personal and official.

It makes for an unhealthy relationship with the possible abuse of power.

There's a gap of 'Bankai' between a Captain and their vice, after all.

'Bankai', being an additional level of depth to the relationship between a user and their zanpakuto.

With the threat of harm hanging over anyone's head, Shi doubts that anyone would resist a captain's advances.

The remaining question would be if, Kyoraku-taicho is someone who could stoop to lows like that.

Given the reaction to the earlier accusations, Shi believes it apt to say that the taicho would not.

He trusts Jushiro-taicho-sama enough.

Not so much the man trailing behind him.

* * *

He asks to speak to the Third Seats as the other captain goes ahead to pester his friend.

 _"If in the future you question if Ukitake-taicho-sama really wishes to go along with what Kyoraku-taicho-sama wants, please voice out your concerns."_

The third seats nod, though they have become too used to the Eight's captain.

Too used to be even slightly suspicious and that makes Shi even more cautious, neither share his sentiments.

* * *

Ukitake gives his childhood friend an unamused raise of his eyebrows.

"He thinks you're out to kill me, Shunsui."

Kyoraku takes a gulp of sake from the bottle, grasping the slender neck of the container carelessly.

"That's good, isn't it? Shows that he's a good person after all, that he can be trusted if he cares so much for you. At least my heart is settled knowing you are in his hands."

Ukitake pours himself a cup of herbal tea, even as they both listen to the conversation going on next door, the medic questioning his third seats on his habits and level of activity.

"Oh, to be honest, if Kyoraku-taicho didn't come by, Ukitake-taicho would never leave our division. He worries too much about us."

He sighs.

 _"But what does Kyoraku-taicho-sama bring him out to do?"_

His third seats lapse into a mildly horrified silence.

"Drinking and bar hopping?"

"We're not really sure, Medic-sama…"

Kyoraku giggles in between his swigs of some sake from the 1st District in the West which they visited in their last outing.

 _"I see… I understand, thank you Kotsubaki-sama, Kotetsu-sama."_

His third seats are stewing away, he can almost imagine them clinging to him in tears, begging him not to go the next time Kyoraku-taicho comes around.

He might even be tempted to agree to not go.

Shunsui isn't a bad influence on him, he's too old for that, but his drinking habits could always be amended.

 _"Excessive consumption of alcohol is not good for Ukitake-taicho-sama, it stresses his body."_

This wicked glint enters his friend's eyes.

Promptly, his teacup is taken and filled with sake.

He loudly proclaims, "Bottoms up! If you don't finish then you're a rotten egg!"

Ukitake hears gasps coming from outside.

He sets the cup down on the table.

"I can't believe you, Shunsui."

"Aw just a drink, Ju-chan. You know you want to…"

Furious whispering breaks out by their door, like "How do we get rid of him?" and "Poor taicho has been dealing with this for centuries and we didn't know?!"

"I thought you grew up of those taunts a hundred years ago. And you know I don't drink. You've never made me drink on our trips, what's the sudden change?"

Shunsui flops the ground in a dead faint.

He sighs.

Sometimes he can't tell if the man is a child or not, if he is faking or not, if he really means what he says, or not.

"Kiyone, Sentaro, are you all around?"

They burst in through the door.

"Yes, Taicho!"

He smiles gently and they dash out the door, yelling the whole way about who's going to fetch Ise-fukutaicho.

* * *

Shi steps in and closes the door, frowning at the man who is fast asleep.

"It's nice to see you, Shi-kun," he offers.

The ghost nods, _"I apologise that I brought him upon you and affected your day, Jushiro-taicho-sama."_

The captain shakes his head, "No, Shunsui and I are old friends, I'm used to his antics. He's harmless, really."

And in that moment, of all moments, Shunsui had to lunge dramatically for Shi, casting arms around his neck, forcing the medic to phase out before catching him inches from the ground.

"It wouldn't hurt him if he just fell you know, Shi-kun."

 _"You would have felt bad, no?"_

The healer is perceptive, dragging the sleeping body to the corner.

He gives Shi a sheepish look.

Ukitake watches the medic re-tie Shunsui's kimono strings.

 _"Have you been well? Any discomfort since the second operation?"_

He shakes his head, pouring away the sake in his cup and filling it with tea.

"Only a little unused to the weight, so my balance has been a little off. I put off a few excursions due to dizzy spells, though."

 _"That is not necessarily well, Jushiro-taicho-sama."_

Out of the corner of his eye, he can see that Shunsui is only faking his alcoholic stupor.

Drinking his tea, he comments that, "I feel all right when resting, so I must be just unused to extra exertion. It was like this after the first removal, so it really is okay, Shi-kun."

Shi asks to check and he obliges the healer this peace of mind.

His chest lights up with a green glow, not unlike the fabric of the ghost's robes, and he follows the directions to, _"Breathe in, out."_

He turns around, and the healer notes that _"There's a little rasp in your breathing. Does it feel like there is something pressing on your chest?"_

Ukitake shakes his head, before taking an extra deep breath, shoulders raising.

"When I'm too focussed on my breathing then I become out of breath."

 _"I can tell,"_ comes Shi's dry reply and he laughs.

 _"It's a psychological thing, because you expect yourself to not be able to breathe properly, Jushiro-taicho-sama. However, I don't see anything amiss, so in a month or so you should be able to return to whatever strenuous activity Kyoraku-sama has planned."_

He finds himself at a loss, "They're just little trips out to Rukongai, Shunsui wouldn't push me too far,"

 _"As long as you know your limits, Jushiro-taicho-sama, then I feel assured."_

He wonders, what has Shunsui planted in his medic's head?

"Shi-chan, I thought we had something special! You're like the girls back in the academy, getting close to me to get to Ju-chan."

"You mean you were the one hanging around me to get all the girls, Shunsui."

His friend hiccups.

"Was it like that..? I don't really remember anymore."

"Yeah. After Zanjutsu class was break time and I would always sit under the willow tree. You would then climb on top, wait for the girls to crowd me and jump down to 'save' me from them. Don't you remember the time where Sensei scolded you because you made a pass as some noble girl?"

"Oh, and that time after Hoho class, Ju-chan turned down another noble girl and she cried so he apologised and the next day she asked me out?"

* * *

Shi thinks Kyoraku-taicho is insecure.

Not only insecure but afraid of losing the people close to him, therefore alternating between rigorously testing the people close to his precious people and smothering them.

"If not, why don't you accompany me out to Rukongai next week, Shi-chan?"

The man means it as a joke, given from his posture, and Ise-fukutaicho's snort.

Jushiro-taicho-sama only shakes his head in fondness.

 _"Set a date then, Kyoraku-taicho-sama, I will have to request permission from Unohana-taicho-sama."_

His patient chokes and the third seats hurry to pat him on his back.

"No need, in fact, I'll accompany you back and ask permission from Unohana-taicho myself!"

The taicho follows along this line of near ridiculous thought, only to be floored when Shi, entirely serious, nods.

Even when Unohana-taicho gives him permission for a trip out to Rukongai the following Tuesday, she treats them both with a mild edge of scepticism.

Shi asks, _"Isn't it tiring for you, Kyoraku-taicho-sama?"_

"What is? Spending time in the presence of a thousand beauties?"

Ise-fukutaicho only sighs, "He's incorrigible, Shi-san. If he tries anything funny on the trip, you must stop him from doing so."

She says it like Shi can stop her captain and Shi realises, that's because she believes that Kyoraku-taicho can be trusted to stop.

When the male tosses a pale blue kimono at him, grinning, Shi smiles back and turns up dressed in it, green robe in the next dimension.

He admits that it is nice to not have to keep up his actual shape with reiryoku.

Shi follows as he moves from one bar to the next, greeting every bartender and dancer by name, checking in on their lives and pausing when there's a new person.

Shi is not blind and he also realises that the taicho is not doing this merely for pleasure's sake.

He takes no lady to a separate room, nor does he get smashed.

Instead, _"You're watching for a revolution, taicho-sama?"_

At that moment, a lady sidles up, hand trailing and stroking the captain's cheek.

The captain gives her a lazy smile, his hand catching her waist showing her the dance floor.

Watching, watching as the dancers swallow them up, but how everyone's back to the captain's.

He finds himself the way to the backrooms, looking for the proprietor.

Introducing himself as a healer with the captain, and seeing the suspicion just melt away – he tends to the ladies who have had a run in with a rough customer.

Speaking to them and pulling back the layers to his companion, laughing with them and sharing small things about the captain that Jushiro-taicho-sama shared before.

Academy-day antics in exchange for his kindness in protecting the children on the streets.

"We're an old establishment. Shunsui-sama took the first owner in and gave her this space, and because of that, we protect our own. From his first gift, we were able to control the vices in the first few districts. Every year we try our best to expand into the next district, in hopes that someday we will be able to protect all the vulnerable people of Rukon."

When the captain stumbles back to their table, lipstick smudges on his pink robe, _ah, those blend well_ , and pocket full of papers, _numbers and also information_ , Shi only smiles.

The taicho smiles back, out of breath.

* * *

Unohana-taicho meets them at the gate, hands tucked into her sleeves and forehead creased lightly.

Shi bows in greeting, _"Taicho-sama."_

Kyoraku-taicho offers a jaunty wave before disappearing in a burst of shunpo.

Shi tells his taicho, _"We can help Kyoraku-taicho fix Rukongai, Unohana-taicho-sama. I sincerely believe in his business' ability to save people."_

His taicho who had until then always seen her fellow taicho as a womaniser blessed with superb fighting skills gives her healer the benefit of doubt.

She tells him, "I will broach the topic."

As if her words released his tension, it began to rain.

* * *

"Is Kyoraku really as sideline as the anime makes him out to be? Why did they make him the next Captain-Commander? Head-canon: Kyoraku is a spy lord."

* * *

I got more prompts today, so I'm hoping to go back to daily updates :))

This is generated on my own, a prompt for Kyoraku Shunsui and his womanising ways.

I've always wondered what makes someone like him tick, and the closest person I could think of was Jiraiya (from Naruto).

Do keep the feedback and prompts forthcoming, they're the way for me to motivate myself to write!

(10-12 November 2017)


	10. Chapter 10 - Sky, Ichigo & Crew

_10\. He'll never forget that they fell from the sky._

* * *

There really wasn't any other way to say it but that they came from the sky.

The sky split into two and the reiryoku shield surrounding Seireitei cracked for that moment.

Barrelling through the shield, like a white flare of flame, Shi found himself enraptured by the sight.

As if watching a shooting star in broad daylight, unable to help the small smile on his lips.

He watches as the sphere begins to distort and the star splits into multiple fragments.

Like a meteorite vaporising as it entered the earth's mesosphere – utterly captivating.

He exhales.

Hanataro beside him wonders aloud, "Do you suppose they came to rescue Rukia-sama?"

Shi stands to leave, fully intent on finding one of these people, offhandedly replying that, _"I would think so. No matter, we can't help it if our actions happen to help them."_

They walk casually out the division grounds, and Hanataro mumbles, "Nor can we help it if I happen to drop my set of keys…"

Hisagomaru pulses softly, his child-like giggle like the jangle of the sewer and prison keys.

Using his visualisation technique, Hanataro locates their closest invader and leads the way.

The moment they arrive, Shi throws his reiatsu over the male like a cloak.

The boy was a shock of orange hair and his companion a little black cat.

Stretching out the keys, giving the kid a tremulous smile, "I'll tell taicho that I was intimidated into handing over my keys. You should be able to rescue Rukia-sama now."

 _"Do you need directions? We can hide you for now, but sooner or later your reiatsu will leak through mine."_

Maybe the child is taken aback by their open offer of aid, but his frown eventually breaks, "Huh. So the midget has friends even with a personality like that."

Then the cat actually speaks up, "Thanks, kids. I'll take care of the brat. You all better trot, wouldn't do if you two got imprisoned next."

Given that Komamura-taicho was a werewolf, they should have been less surprised, but a talking cat was new.

Hanataro shakes his head "If that was the problem we would be trying to stop you. Rukia-sama is on the second floor's leftmost cell, overlooking the Thirteenth's garden."

The cat's ears prick up.

"Can you two bring us to the tower? I can feel a captain closing in on us."

They duck into the sewers, manhole cover rattling as they shut it.

In the next moment, the reiryoku washes over them, as does the captain's bemused voice.

"I could have sworn I felt Shi-chan in the area. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was below us."

Hanataro's fear is etched clearly even as the he gestures for the cat and the orange-haired child to follow him.

Shi remains still, neither phasing out nor trying to change his tracks, wondering if the taicho will spill on them.

He supposes not, though perhaps ten years is too short to know a person who is over hundreds.

Then comes the annoyed voice of the man's Lieutenant, "Taicho! We really shouldn't be wasting our time, what if Shi-san was hurt? There's quite a bit of his ambient reiatsu here when you focus."

"Ah my beautiful Nanao-chan, Shi-chan must have gone invisible. Let's go towards the other source of foreign reiatsu in the east then."

The slow footsteps are like a taunt, a gentle warning as well.

Shi waits till he can no longer hear Hanataro's footsteps or the Captain's before returning to the surface.

Already, the chaotic reiatsu of multiple captains and groups of Shinigami battling have fuelled the crack in the sky to mend.

He can't sense the clashing like Hana can, but he can feel pressure; He can't differentiate the meshed reiatsu but he can tell by feel.

Sensei's reiatsu is always warm.

* * *

The Fourth is surprisingly not busy, given that they were in a state of emergency.

"It's almost as if the Ryoka do not intend to cause harm," Unohana-taicho remarks as they both patch up Kenpachi-taicho.

Shi replies that, _"People trying to protect do not kill indiscriminately."_

Yachiru-chan latches onto him, demanding that he solidify so she has a perch.

"While Kenny is sleeping, let's go adventuring together!"

Taicho waves them both out warning Shi that, "If you face the ryoka, your best option is to flee. Your attempts at your usual negotiation may not go well since you cannot do anything about the Lady Kuchiki's fate."

He hums, _"I understand, taicho-sama."_

And instead, he lets himself be taken hostage by another ryoka.

The Eleventh's Lieutenant takes it as one big game and the invader humours the child, placing her on one broad shoulder and slinging Shi over his other.

"Muscle-muscle, your pretty princess is waiting in the white tower, let's go there right now!"

Shi takes his time, healing up the male from the fake skirmish they acted out on Yachiru's direction.

["Now fire a cool kido!"

"Now punch the ground and make it go boom!"

"Jump higher, fly, ghostie-chan!"

"Muscles, no you need to make it look like you defeated him!"]

 _"I met an orange-haired child and a black cat earlier. Are you all working to save Rukia-sama?"_

The male is a child of few words, but his brown eyes convey his devotion and loyalty.

"For Ichigo."

He directs the male to turn left, avoiding a group of Shinigami coming down the next street.

 _"I'm Shi, you are?"_

Shi guesses that 'Ichigo' is the orange-haired one.

"Chad."

* * *

There is more than one orange-haired kid, two in fact.

In addition to that, the one black cat, one bow-wielding boy and Chad-san.

They've just opened the door to Rukia's cell when a major dispatch is broadcasted that Aizen-taicho of the Fifth was just murdered.

Kuchiki-taicho-sama intervenes before they can make a clean getaway, observing dryly that, "If you all have been here then you all must be uninvolved in the murder."

Then the cat transforms into a lady, losing the deep voice and teasing, "Way to state the obvious, Byakuya-bo."

Shi watches the captain's eyebrows twitch.

"Shihoin Yoruichi."

They beat a tactical retreat, the cat-lady lashing out with a hard kick that Rukia's brother does not dodge.

The door to Rukia's cell clicks shut again but the Kuchiki lady is not so frantic about her impending death.

"Nii-sama please, keep them away from here… They don't deserve to die."

Shi attends to the broken rib, reporting evenly that, _"It would be advisable for Kuchiki-taicho-sama to rest at least a week."_

The noble stands from his fallen position, brushing off his robes.

"It is regrettable that I have suffered some injuries that require attention at the Fourth Division."

Because like none of Rukia's friends deserves to die, Byakuya is clearly of the opinion that neither does Rukia.

He sweeps off in a haughty stalk, and Shi squeezes Rukia's hand through the bars of the cage, promising her, _"I will do my best, Rukia-sama."_

She gives him a half smile, not quite a lack of trust in the strength of her friends yet not quite tears seeing how readily her human friends throw aside their lives for hers.

"If I don't make it, please help me tell them that I was glad to have met them."

Shi only laughs.

 _"I do not doubt that they will save you, Rukia-sama, they will do it such that you do not have to sacrifice your family and friends here for it."_

He can't afford to leave when there's no one else here.

It falls to him to delay Gin-san when he comes to escort Rukia-sama to the execution grounds.

He also notes how taicho-sama allows himself to be delayed, and he wonders, _"What are you waiting for, Gin-taicho-sama?"_

Just that famous smile, "Nothin' ghost-kun."

Then the next broadcast.

"Former Fifth Division Captain Sousuke Aizen is confirmed to be a traitor, to be apprehended on sight."

And the next.

"The execution of Kuchiki Rukia is to be put on hold indefinitely."

And the man himself appears before them, the same warm brown eyes.

Gin-san sketches a bow, "What should we do now, Aizen-sama? How're ya gonna get your precious out of the girl?"

Shi wonders if this version is a mask or the truth, but he finds comfort in the likely scenario where even Aizen-san does not know the truth.

"We can always activate the Sokyoku by our own power," the voice is calming, the same voice sensei found comforting, but the implications are not so.

Within the bars of sekkiseki, Shi pulls reiryoku from the structure, drawing on the stores that the stones have absorbed from the prisoners it has held before.

In the process, he reclaims Rukia's reiryoku for her and moulds it around them like a shield.

It's a pitiful attempt to protect the Kuchiki Princess who remains weak from her week-long stay.

Gin-san chuckles before slicing the bars apart with his zanpakuto.

* * *

By the time they reach the Sokyoku, the entirety of Soul Society has homed in on them.

And yet no one stops Aizen-san or Gin-san as they hack away at the thick binding ropes of the wooden structure that houses the Kikoo.

No one steps forward to protect Rukia-sama either.

Just the two of them cowering in the middle of the grass plain, held down by sekkiseki cuffs, him struggling to gather reiryoku at a faster rate than the sekkiseki absorbs.

The weapon of execution bursts free on its own accord the moment its bindings loosen.

Shi understands then, the Kikoo is not a weapon of 'justice', but of indiscriminate murder.

Within its screech, the anger of a thousand repressed zanpakuto, so desiring to showcase to the Shinigami its own capabilities that it played right into their hands, becoming something they could harness at will.

He admits that he is afraid – afraid of this fiery beast, but also in awe.

The flames licking at his not quite soul are beautiful.

Children were always told not to play with fire.

Rukia-sama's Sode no Shirayuki is a snow-type zanpakuto, and unlike the Kikoo is content to be with its wielder.

 _"Help me, Shirayuki-sama."_

The lady materialises, the temperature drops a few degrees.

She brushes pale fingers through damp, tangled strands of her mistress' black hair.

"You think that we can stop the Kikoo, half-spirit?"

He gives her a small smile, extending his hand, _"We never know until we try, besides, our alternative is death, is it not, my lady?"_

Shi pulls.

Pulls reiryoku from the air.

Pulls it from the surrounding Shinigami.

From Aizen-san, from Gin-san, from the sekkiseki, _pulls,_ and gives it.

Rukia-sama's zanpakuto expertly crafts the reiryoku, expelling it as a cold and merciless reiatsu, pushing back the Kikoo's heat.

The Kuchiki Princess directs them lucidly, hands forward, saying it plainly and honestly, "I want to live."

With the wish, they were lit up in a glow of blue and white.

Her friends arrive then, charging the construct made of fire.

Ichigo-san rushes the phoenix, blade tip following Shirayuki-sama's spear; the orange-haired female hastily sets up a barrier.

The Kikoo's first advance is blocked successfully but the child is thrown back from the force of their collision.

Chad-san catches him as the archer targets the Kikoo itself, spiderwebs spreading where his arrows contact.

Jushiro-taicho, Kyoraku-taicho and Cat-san arrive after the second reprise, all supporting a large shield.

 _An actual shield, thank goodness._

Shirayuki-sama murmurs something like, "The battle will be won," before she pulls on his reiryoku and he in turn pulls from everything around them.

The grass withered then everything went white.

* * *

He woke up in the same field, half sunken into the ground.

The field was empty, so he got up and phased towards the Fourth.

He casts the demolished poles a last backward glance – the Kikoo is no more, destroyed by its own untameable desire to harm.

Tending to patients like nothing happened, he supposes that is the beauty of it all.

Being part of an adaptive system, the unseated officers easily yielding control over to him so they can discharge as many as possible.

"Shi-kun, over here, please."

He phases over here, over there, as taicho requests.

Easily allowing her access to his reserves, she affixes him with a hard stare.

"Do not try that again."

He only smiles.

Like Rukia-sama's friends would do for her, Shi will gladly do it again.

The archer sews him a handkerchief with a white cross on it.

In exchange, he brings the child more cloth scraps.

The young healer girl contributes her ability to reject wounds so he watches over her to give her the assurance that her skills are valued.

Rukia-sama and Shirayuki-sama are recuperating and he's handed the glowy stone that acted as their catalyst to stop the Kikoo.

On the other hand, the two other children _(children, still children)_ are resting from extensive injury.

The first a result of his blade touching the Kikoo, the other his arm.

He still can't shake off the fact that they came from Earth but fell from the sky.

* * *

"Shi encountering Ichigo and crew: The process of saving Rukia. From start to finish, it was beautiful."

* * *

Many thanks to ruined pride for today's prompt, also managed to slip in a little of zanpakuto spirit's POV!

I asked a friend for a random word and that word turned out to be 'Beauty'.

So mixing the two, ta-da :)

I tried my best to give screen time to all of the members of Ichigo's gang, will look into Orihime in a future chapter, she and Uryuu need more.

Ganju was omitted in this case because I didn't touch on Kukaku and Rukia and Shi are not close enough to talk about Kaien.

That said, I've never liked how OP Ichigo turned out to be even in the Deathberry Arc, hope that with the Hogyoku it makes for an easier read and better acceptance.

See you all tomorrow, do keep the prompts coming, I love new ideas to pick and mix together.

(13 November 2017)


	11. Chapter 11 - Justification, Scientists

_11\. He'll try his best to forget that the man was hardly apologetic._

* * *

There was something wrong with the glowing stone that came into his possession.

It was looking for something, it felt lost like him, but unlike him, it was not content where it was.

The stone was hungry for acknowledgement, hungry to showcase its power.

Shi isn't sure what to make of a glowing blue stone that gave tremendous power, enough to pull Shirayuki-sama out and destroy the Kikoo.

Recalling that Rukia-sama had been nearly vaporised in a madman's search for it, he wonders why the stone removed itself from Rukia-sama.

The glowing blue core and a humming crystal case around it and the vibration like a contented purr – _what did it want and what did it get?_

Cupping his palms around the object as it rotates on its axis, shining a white light around his and Hana's shared room.

He sets it down on the dresser and he swears the thing gives off a disappointed air.

 _"What do you want?"_

It pulses, not saying a word and he sighs, picking it back up.

 _"I'll take you with me, but I'd still like to understand you."_

He frowns.

 _"It's weird to talk to a stone. I'll call you Takara, for jewel. If anyone asks me then, I'll just pretend you're a ghost, hm?"_

'Takara' pulses an affirmative, and he hears a brief, [Of course].

Shi blinks before tucking the stone, crystal case and all into his sleeve, making his way to the Twelfth Division.

 _"I guess the scientists would best know what you are. Unless you can tell me yourself?"_

The stone gives him a reply, the vague idea of, [I could tell you but hearing what other's think is more interesting.]

Again, the need to be revered and the slight edge of neediness and narcissism.

 _"Whatever you are, Takara, you're elegant."_

It hums approvingly and settles itself in his sleeves.

He phases along, landing at the bolted gates of the Twelfth in about fifteen minutes and knocks lightly.

Then he lets himself in.

His ability to go through the door is one that frustrates the scientists of the division but makes him the favoured paperwork sender for the Fourth since they don't have to wait for the division members to let them in.

Given the Twelfth's devotion to their experiments, it wasn't unheard of for the door to remain unopened for weeks.

* * *

"Ah, Shi-san. More paperwork?"

He shakes his head, smiling, _"Not today, Akon-sama. I just wanted to ask something."_

The Third Seat arches his eyebrow, the short horns on his forehead shifting upwards as well.

"You wanted to ask something?" the question as if he was surprised Shi had come to him.

 _"If you're busy with your experimenting, I'll find another scientist, it's not important."_

Shi follows as the male walks over to the coffee machine and gets it to start brewing an expresso.

Akon takes a gulp of the black liquid before gesturing at his office.

"Nah, I have some time before I can gather my next set of data. We're doing a test on the effects of prolonged exposure of sekkiseki on Hollows. The preliminary results look amazing, the hollows actually devolve from their original state as they lose power. The masks slowly chip away and the hollows become more docile."

The male turns away from his office, striding down the corridor.

"In fact, I just speaking about it doesn't do our research justice. Come with me and I'll show you. Don't touch anything though, Kurotsuchi-taicho won't appreciate it if anything goes wrong."

 _"What are the practical applications of this experiment though, Akon-sama? Knowing you all, there must be something amazing you all intend to do with such developments?"_

He can't think of any off the top of his head, sometimes the discovery itself is the success but the Twelfth is not like that.

They may be without morals and ethics, but they always have a goal in mind.

The subtle compliment draws a smile from the usually bored-faced Akon.

"First and foremost, experiments on Hollows after this will be much easier. Simpler to cut off the limbs of a docile patient than a writhing one. In fact, after this we might work on liquifying sekkiseki to see if that can work as an anaesthetic. Shinigami ones don't work on Hollows. It opens up many more options. Imagine if we could domesticate a Menos?"

He's not sure how to reply, other than, _"That sounds interesting,"_ though Hana has remarked that Menos are huge, towering masses of hollows, making storage for experimentation a little less likely.

Shi supposes that if this experiment works, the division might endeavour to enter Hueco Mundo to set up a research facility there.

That would increase the demand for Shinigami to staff and protect the area, intake rate of the academy would increase, so more Rukongai inhabitants would become part of Seireitei itself.

Thinking of it like that, he hopes that Akon and his team will be successful – despite the narrow frame of thought and the too many possibilities of what could happen, Shi hopes that it will.

"This room, Shi-san."

They stepped into the room and Shi saw the hollow stretching on the ground like a contented cat.

With its crumbling mask, the hollow sounded less and less feral.

 _"It's surprisingly docile already, Akon-sama. Do the effects reverse once the sekkiseki is removed?"_

"That's what we'll test next. Taicho questioned if we could possibly turn hollows into robots for our own use. Like pets I suppose?"

He thinks, _if the effects reverse, then it'll be harder to experiment. If it's too hard, Kurotsuchi-taicho will not be allowed to set up a facility in Hueco Mundo, right?_

He hopes, sincerely that this hollow remains docile.

It's a small hollow that won't harm anyone anyway.

* * *

"So you had a question, Shi-san?"

He draws Takara out of his sleeve once they're in Akon's office, _"Yes, I wanted to know if you've ever seen a gem like this. What is its composition? And where would I go about getting one?"_

Akon withdraws a jeweller's magnifying glass from a drawer, inspecting it clearly.

His hand goes right through the glass case like it's not there and Shi can almost hear Takara's laugh.

"It looks like moonstone. The blue tone is quite vivid though, possibly titanium or iron impurities."

 _"Nothing supernatural about it at all? A reiatsu reading or possibly a link to the natural reiryoku in the air?"_

He rolls his chair over to his side desk and pulls out a small machine, twisting a few knobs.

"Nope, it's not registering anything on our scales. I for one don't really feel anything. It's possible that it is emitting a little, based on who has held it. Like sekkiseki, most stones, especially gemstones tend to register readings occasionally due to their porous nature – they absorb a little reiatsu. Since you have no reiryoku of your own, you may simply be a little more attuned to the blip in the natural reiryoku, Shi-san you may just be sensing a little. Certainly not enough to be notable."

Shi receives Takara back from Akon who shows him out.

He thanks the Third Seat who shakes his head, "It's nice to share our discoveries with people who are willing to understand us. Come back sometime next week and I'm sure we'll have Soul Society's first pet hollow."

Giving a slight nod, he bids his goodbyes before phasing back out through the door.

Takara is a weight in his sleeve.

[When you come back next week, he will ask to see me again.]

That air of certainty.

 _"Did you do something, Takara?"_

The stone only laughs, openly, Shi thinks he's going mad.

[Moonstone indeed. I am not a gemstone, I am precious, my holder, far more than mere diamonds. I am power in crystal form. I am just a tool but together we could rule the world and bend it to our imagination. I can do everything you can think of. Just tell me, my holder. What do you desire?]

 _"What are you, Takara? Who created you?"_

* * *

Takara is wrong, the Twelfth's Taicho sends Unohana-taicho a strongly worded request for his presence even before the week is up.

"Tell him to bring that moonstone of his as well!"

Taicho frowns but sends him on his way, a warning that, "I expect Shi-kun back in two hours, in one piece, half-alive as he is, Kurotsuchi-taicho."

White painted fingers twisting Takara this way and that, this time the crystal box staying.

Takara hums out that, [This one is worthier of holding me.]

Glittering gold eyes and bared teeth scrutinising its make.

"Akon, connect us right this moment to Urahara Kisuke."

The captain hands him back Takara, turning on his heel and leading the way to the projector room.

"Come, lost ghost. I will show you the creator of your… pretty gem."

He follows quietly, only asking as they close the door.

 _"Kurotsuchi-taicho-sama, is this not a moonstone as Akon-sama told me?"_

The scientist loses a mad cackle.

"Now that would irritate the hell out of Urahara. Make sure you ask that."

He bows and perhaps that makes the man happier since he explains a little.

"Some things have a power so massive that people below a certain level completely cannot feel it. There's no gap for them to feel. Some things have a power so massive that people unless actively looking for it, cannot feel. Your 'moonstone' is both. I would never have noticed if Akon hadn't told me you visited. And there we were, agonising over why the hollow you saw was the only one whose docile state was maintained. The other ninety-nine became feral hours after release. If it is the one you saw, then there had to be something about you."

The monitor crackles to life.

"Ah, Mayuri, what is the pleasure?"

Shi watches the taicho's teeth pull into a grotesque smirk.

"I believe this ghost of ours holds something of yours."

Like a mocking, sardonic grin as he gestures for Shi to show the man Takara.

The jerk does not go unnoticed, or the panicked smile.

 _Schadenfreude,_ the man's intense discomfort causes Kurotsuchi-taicho immense pleasure.

Like an obedient robot, like the cat-like hollow, he repeats his question, _"Will you tell me what this stone is? Is it not just a rare blue moonstone?"_

The man is clearly shaken, he takes off his white and green hat, resting it protectively in front of him, trying to create a gap between them.

"That…"

Takara giggles.

[Tell him that Rukia gave it to you.]

 _"This was a gift from Kuchiki Rukia-sama, that's all. In repayment of my involvement in her safe return."_

Kurotsuchi smiles only wider.

"I recognise your imprint on the stone. Now do tell, what were you doing with this kind of power? This makes you on the level of Aizen. Even I would never stoop so low as to betray Soul Society. Unless, those rumours back then were true? Did you actually corrupt those souls for your own thirst for knowledge?"

"I would never!" comes the vehement reply and Shi takes a step back.

"I would never," comes the quieter reply, "I am not Aizen. I saved them."

The captain has his final laugh, tossing Shi a small pager.

"Fix your own mess, Urahara. I won't have a hand in your true downfall."

Humming as the blonde man in the screen starts to speak, shutting off the display to cut of those words.

With that, hands trying to close around his shoulder but just going right through.

He gives Shi a hard smile.

"I will need you to repeat whatever you did with Subject 1 in the future. Whatever it is you have done, you have managed to stabilise it in its state of weakness."

* * *

They allowed him into the small playroom of 'Subject 1', and it leapt at him.

It acted like Goro, trying to tug at his robe, just far larger claws.

With a purr like thunder and affectionate movements not lethargic at all, Takara tells him, triumphant.

[Isn't it amazing? That I can imbue a mind into a mindless creature like that? If you want me to do that to the stronger ones, I will show you that my abilities are limitless.]

Akon thanks him as he's walked to the gate this time.

Akon details the tests they've run on Subject 1, from the more invasive to the less.

Subject 1 is not his pet.

Shi couldn't care less, but it still hurt knowing that there was something thinking and feeling inside it being hurt.

It felt almost like he was the one being cut.

 _"Takara, take away its pain. Make sure it does not feel. Make sure it does not remember."_

The stone almost scoffs, before Shi gently pushes, _"Unless you cannot?"_

He has a guilty conscience.

Hollows are souls filled with hunger. Subject 1 is stuck in that hunger, unable to re-enter the cycle of souls.

At the same time, he questions if it is worth it.

In exchange for saving more people from Rukongai, bearing the knowledge of a monster being tortured.

* * *

"Mayuri doesn't care about things like that. Everything he does is for the sake of science," is Urahara-san's take on it.

Shi was given very specific instructions to remove the trackers, bugs and additional spying implements added to the pager the moment he connected to Urahara-san.

"Us speaking is also illegal as well, by the way. Giving you a pager is illegal, experimenting on hollows for extended periods is also illegal. Loads of things are illegal, but Mayuri gets away with a lot of things."

He can't help but feel that both scientists are like rivals, trying to influence his view of the other negatively.

 _"Will you tell me more about the stone, then?"_

There's a pause here and he has to ask if the man is still there.

"Do you know that a Shinigami's job is to maintain the balance of souls?"

 _"I have heard, briefly."_

"The 12th is in-charge of killing Rukongai's citizens if the balance is threatened. We are given a quota of souls to kill every now and then. We go to the outskirts where the stronger souls are found. The strongest, the most revolting, the weakest, all, we kill them or capture them for experiments that will erase their soul."

[Lies. I am the strongest.]

 _"So you used that opportunity to create a wealth of power?"_

He denies it, "No, when I started, I wanted a way to hide the souls. My division killed the criminals, but the weak and those with potential, I hid them in a sealed space to protect them. The weak do not need to eat, but those with potential had to be put to sleep. However, something went wrong with the sealing, they fused. All the souls fused into one orb. Those forty thousand odd souls… all gone."

Shi's not sure how to feel, considering Takara is powerful, but still sounds like one person.

But he can't brush off the idea that Urahara-san is lying.

 _"All those souls are gone then?"_

"I'm afraid so. I had thought I would release them slowly back but things didn't work out. Hollows are produced at a rate just slightly faster than souls are in Rukongai."

[He wanted power. He wanted perfection. I am the manifestation of his desires. Ask him, what has he used me for?]

 _"You talked about saving people, earlier when talking to Kurotsuchi-taicho-sama. Has this stone been able to save people?"_

"I can't tell you that over the pager. Too risky. Come to the human world and find me in Karakura Town. Then, I promise I will give you answers."

Shi can't shake that idea at all.

The man doesn't think of the forty thousand souls he snuffed out, in fact, he tries to justify it.

What could possibly outweigh that?

Shi doesn't know.

[Nothing does. In your heart, my holder, you know exactly what my creator wanted. He wanted power and was willing to kill for it.]

* * *

Prompt: Urahara and Mayuri. "What is the Hogyoku? How was it created?"

* * *

Another two of ruined pride's prompts for our resident scientists!

I think the Hogyoku has always been in the back of my mind from the moment it was revealed.

It always seemed like such a convenient plot filler no matter the scenario, and I've always wanted to know where it came from and how was it made.

The plot hole I have here I suppose is why Aizen didn't end up with his Hogyoku, but I suppose at its base, the Hogyoku is a prideful thing who wants its power recognised, wants to see if Aizen is truly worthy of having it given his defeat at the hands of Ichigo whom the Hogyoku gave some powers to.

As always, do review with thoughts and ideas, they keep me writing!

(14 October 2017)


	12. Chapter 12 - Collusion, Hogyoku

_12\. He'll try his best to forget that he still doesn't belong._

* * *

Hana doesn't make a habit of bringing Hisagomaru out with him on usual round days.

It's a habit of being a medic used to simply healing with kido, even though Hisagomaru could probably seal wounds better.

Shi spends some days just looking at the sword and they often partake in this silence, staring at one another.

Hisagomaru always wins, his line mouth quirking into a w when Shi gives in again.

The zanpakuto looks like a small white robot who comes up to about Shi's mid-chest.

A roundish head, one black right eye and the left eye a gauge the same as the one along the blade.

Currently half full, making him look like he has mismatched eyes.

He's only been visible since Shi got hold of Takara though Takara denies involvement in this.

That means that Hana is getting stronger and Hisagomaru is on the edge of being able to materialise.

Shi is not surprised, considering how similar and how close the zanpakuto and his wielder are.

Hana sets aside half an hour at least every night for Jinzen with Hisagomaru, far better than most Shinigami can claim.

In a world where spirits are killed so easily, zanpakuto are more weapons than partners.

Maybe it is good that Hana doesn't use Hisagomaru so often then? So much that he doesn't see Hisagomaru as his tool.

[That's foolish. It prevents them both from progressing.]

He sees Hisagomaru wilt a little so he comments that it progresses their bond.

Shi is not surprised when the next day Hana takes Hisagomaru out for his class with Isane-fukutaicho.

Takara hums.

And yet just after a few swings, Hanataro sets his zanpakuto down by the side.

The robot materialises again, looking sad.

Shi phases over, patting him on his head.

 _"Hana doesn't want to make you feel used."_

The zanpakuto returns to his sword.

Hana gives him a small smile, before asking him to, "Shi, could you bring Hisagomaru around and see if there are wounds he can help with? He wants to fill up his gauge."

Shi can't help but feel like he's intruding, though Hisagomaru assures him he's not.

Takara just laughs.

[Of course you're intruding. You're not even one of them.]

* * *

He doesn't ignore the feeling that he doesn't belong, he conveniently forgets it.

He gets along too well with the division members to jeopardise it with his feelings of unease.

Hisagomaru fills his gauge with each cut, today is a good day.

The Eleventh sent over a group of men concussed, their lack of ability to struggle is a blessing.

Shi only watches.

Hana unleashes his Shikai for Isane-fukutaicho, Akeiro Hisagomaru and then, for the first time, Hisagomaru became solid.

As the red beam arched across the training ground, carving a deep gorge in the ground, he saw Hisagomaru materialise himself as a huge, towering figure.

And yet the robot smiled his usual, down at Hana who looked up in awe.

[I told you so, didn't I? You're intruding on their ability to improve.]

The robot frowned, before shaking his head furiously.

Shi can't hear him like Hana does, though his friend repeats to say that, "Hisagomaru says thank you, Shi!"

Takara is at least partially right and Shi knows that feeling well.

 _"I want to be able to hear what they say. Takara, can you do that?"_

[Are you sure you won't regret it?]

Shi laughs, knows very well that Takara is not all as it seems.

A creature formed of countless souls who has this streak of vengefulness knows only how to make itself feel good.

Shi knows this well and pushes all the right buttons.

The little robot is overjoyed to have someone to talk to when Hanataro goes out.

On the other hand, Shi stalls in his slide down a hill of pity where the foothill was desperation.

Takara is a vengeful being, without limits to its power, Shi doesn't expect it to stay still, so it purposefully causes problems.

Interfering with his ability to phase, interfering with his ability to heal, and he shuts the jewel in his desk.

Hisagomaru confides in him that the stone makes him uneasy.

/I don't like it, Shi. And it's hurting you. Can't we destroy it?/

He goes to ask taicho, who says that the best she can do is to take it from him, but that she will do her best to destroy it.

"To think something like that was in Kuchiki-san."

She clearly doesn't think too heavily of the problem Shi and Hisagomaru have seen the jewel become.

The whispers of Takara from the drawer are driving him mad.

/Shi, listen to the sound of my voice instead. I don't blame you, it's okay. We'll fix this./

* * *

He keeps visiting the Twelfth with Takara at the behest of Kurotsuchi-taicho, and he can feel Takara warping and changing the hollows beneath his fingers, can feel the change in the air and he _shudders._

"It's amazing, your power, ghost. How you are able to keep going when you are changing the fabric of the space-time continuum, able to just keep going. Onto to the next subject! There are so many possibilities!"

He should have known that when he got involved he was just trying to make a place for himself – that he belonged in the Fourth and nowhere else.

The scientist sees him as more than a specimen, he's important because he has Takara.

For a fleeting moment, he wonders, what if _I make Takara a part of me?_

Hisagomaru bops him on the head, /We like you the way you are, Shi. We don't like you because of your power, we don't want to lose you for the sake of that power. We have enough power on our own./

Hisagomaru gives Hana another layer to his Shikai, where he summons Hisagomaru's form to the real world.

A huge, three-tiered cannon unfolds from his chest cavity, charging up a red beam.

Hana aims the cannon with a mental command and a red beam of varying diameter cuts a swathe through the grass of the training grounds.

Shi should be assured that he doesn't need power, but now he worries about being left behind.

He fires #40 Kido with a flick of his wrist and can do up till #63: Raikoho but he is still unsure if it is enough.

 _What if Aizen-san comes back for Takara?_

He doesn't want Takara, but he doesn't want anyone to be able to use Takara to hurt people.

/No, that's not it, is it, Shi? You want the power for your own use to protect, isn't it? But that thing isn't the way. It's hurting you, it's hurting you, you need to get it to stop./

Hisagomaru can see him beginning to descend again, and yet they're all training for something, _whatthing?!_

"Taicho is sending us to the world of the living, as kido support for the current Shinigami stationed there."

 _Karakura_ is his first thought.

/Hana, we need to get Shi to the person who made that stone./

"We're going to Karakura Town where Hitsugaya-taicho and Matsumoto-fukutaicho are already dispatched. We can take some time to find the man."

 _"I'll text him in advance."_

Taicho opens the Sekaimon for them and in that moment, stepping through, he's struck by how much he doesn't want Takara.

All the same, the fear of giving Takara back to the man who murdered _how many was it?_ a couple tens of thousands to make Takara creeps back.

He pushes the crystal box into the hands of that man wearing the green and white striped yukata, not letting the man refuse.

 _"Takara is a demanding creation."_

The jewel laughs, the same laugh as its creator.

The man hides his laugh behind a fan and Shi shakes his head to clear it.

 _"I will leave now, Urahara-san."_

"Of course, I will take good care of my treasure."

He pauses at the door of the store.

 _"You owe Ichigo-san and Rukia-sama an apology each. Don't you think they would wonder why something as powerful as Takara wound up in Rukia-sama?"_

The scientist only bows his head in mock contemplation.

That night, while resting next to Hana and Hisa under a tree, he feels Takara fragment into a thousand tiny pieces and _shudders._

Hisagomaru gives him a furrowed brow face, before telling him, /I don't feel the thing anymore. I guess he kept his word, Shi./

* * *

There's an altercation the very next day, and Shi can feel the blended, warped reiryoku from the second they enter the town.

These creatures calling themselves Arrancar, claiming to be hybrids of Hollows and Shinigami, feel a lot like the cat hollow that Kurotsuchi-taicho named Nii.

If Hisagomaru could look any paler than he originally was, then he would have.

He phased through the walls looking for the scientist turned shopkeeper, knowing it was impolite but stumbled on the man drinking tea with another blond.

 _"How many did you kill? How many did you make?"_

It's out of character for him, but the man only sips his tea calmly.

 _"Do you know that Aizen must have something like Takara? Did you make one for him?"_

The blonde opposite the table explodes into action, pinning the scientist to the wall with such violence that Shi loses the ability to breathe.

Matsumoto-fukutaicho comes through the door with her zanpakuto drawn and the pressure disappeared.

Urahara-san slides down the wall to rest heavily on the ground.

His hat is off and his eyes are alight – "What have you felt, ghost-san?"

Shi is quiet, trying to recall.

The blond who disappeared feels _hollow._

He feels Hisagomaru spike in distress and he phases out of the shop, thoughts running a little too clearly for his liking.

He knows that everyone in the area is in danger because the only line that makes sense is that Urahara-san and Aizen-san are working together.

Therefore, in order to get Takara to Aizen, the scientist planted Takara inside Rukia, letting Aizen frame Rukia so that Takara could be extracted.

They collaborated to create their Shinigami-Hollow fusions, Aizen-san working on hollows and Urahara-san on Shinigami.

This would result in Urahara eventually being exiled, yet here he was, so trusted by the Shinigami still.

He likely framed it in such a way that he saved the Shinigami, leading them to respect him when he had, in fact, made them the way they were.

 _There were some flaws in his flow of logic but he was too afraid to think more._

He phased out with Hanataro and Hisa, barely dodging a blow from a zanpakuto.

Remaining so quiet as he struggled to think, Hanataro clinging to him in abject terror and Hisa cowering – so unlike his usual quiet confidence.

As if they had regressed to the people he had first met and he's given the sudden thought that, _maybe the improvement was due to Takara's presence?_

He wonders if it was all a lie, and this endless nightmare – he's faced by this hollow mask on a shinigami's frame.

The blond hair flowing by the sides, framing the mask in the style of a pharaoh's headdress.

He had one hand on Hana and the other gripping his friend's zanpakuto, but his reiatsu stuttered.

Just enough time for the hybrid to land a cut on him, coming away with a trace of his reiatsu but no blood.

The mask shattered, and he saw those human eyes.

"What are you, a ghost?"

Positioning himself protectively in front of Hanataro, he realised that his place was here, to be with his friend.

He said it loud and clear.

 _"Hado #63: Raikoho."_

The world exploded.

* * *

"Where Aizen and Urahara are secretly in cahoots or maybe not, but everything seems to check out. Also how power drives people mad, and why Aizen would think implanting a jewel in his chest is a good idea."

* * *

:( I thought going on holiday would make me more free, but apparently the illusion of being free makes other people give you more work, so now I have even more time locked up.

Still, many thanks to ruined pride for being my motivation and inspiration these past few chapters!

I'm still trying to complete NaNoWriMo this year, and we are thankfully past the 30 k mark, and it is possible that we will complete.

As always, leave me a review so I know you all like it, and (definitely please do) leave a prompt for what you want to see.

(18 November 2017)


	13. Chapter 13 - Dysfunction, Ishida Pair

_13\. He'll do his best to forget that he is a child._

* * *

He remembers that Kurotsuchi-taicho brushed this child out of the way as if he were swatting a fly, mocking the child's heritage with gory depictions of dissections and tales of mad discoveries.

He phases through the arrow fired in his direction, making himself clearly visible to the Quincy.

"That was dangerous, Shi-san. I would hate to have accidentally killed you."

 _"I am touched to see you care so much for me, Uryuu-san. It'll take another arrow to catch me, and another to kill."_

The blue bow dissipates back to atmospheric reishi.

"I would not spare such energy."

The teen's arm comes down to his side in a relaxed position as he turns on his heel.

"Is there something you need?"

 _"I would like to know if anyone in the hospital is spiritually aware, or at least, liable to fire more dangerous projectiles at me, please."_

One hand fingers his cross pendant, the other gets stuffed into his pants pocket.

Shi notes that the cross' shape is similar to that of the quincy's new bow and he comments on it.

"There are benefits to being shot 19 millimetres to the right of your heart. One is a power upgrade, would you care to try?" comes the snarky reply.

He doesn't question why the child is suddenly so defensive, following unobtrusively.

 _"I'm looking for one Yamada Hanataro, admitted yesterday. Shinigami in a gigai, if it matters."_

As the quincy employs his version of the Shinigami's shunpo, he phases.

The hospital is situated next to the train station, so as the sound of train whistles drift closer, they near their destination.

Automatic glass doors slide open to admit Uryuu and Shi floats in after.

He waits silently as the child checks in with the nurses at reception, not saying a word – it'd be weird if Uryuu had to speak to thin air in front of some humans.

"Fourth floor, room 3, Ishida-san."

"Alright, thank you Hina-san."

Theoretically, he could walk in through the doors, green robe and all but the last thing he wants is attention.

He waits for Uryuu to press the elevator button rather than phase through the floors of the hospital, it's less taxing as well.

Shi supposes that Uryuu wouldn't appreciate him unnecessarily converting the ambient reishi into his reiryoku anyway.

* * *

Hana is sleeping when they reach, as expected.

Shi rests a hand on his forehead, murmuring lightly, _"He's running a fever, Uryuu-san. Is he on anything?"_

The quincy picks up the clipboard and flips to the last page.

"No. I suppose it'll be okay for you to utilise your healing kido on him."

He fully intends to do just that, hands glowing green.

As he begins healing the tears in Hanataro's spiritual fabric, the door slides open.

Uryuu-san tenses before relaxing.

"I would usually not care, but if you intend on killing him, you may do so once he is out of my care."

He's vaguely affronted by the assumption of the spiritually aware doctor.

Thankfully, Uryuu-san snaps that, "He's a healer, Ryuuken."

If he were less thankful, he would have been taken aback by the vehemence in the child's voice.

The sharp, cold presence remains steadily by the door, waiting until he finishes.

Shi casts a look over his shoulder, eyes immediately picking up on the similarities between his sort-of friend and the white-haired, narrow-eyed man.

 _"Is he the only spiritually aware person I have to look out for, Uryuu-san?"_

The child nods curtly.

"He is not too prone to using his powers, for the most part, you may ignore him."

"The people you should be watching out for are the Shinigami. I care very little for the afterlife."

Shi bows lightly, _"I will keep that in mind, Ishida-san."_

Uryuu flinches and the male allows amusement to leak into his voice.

"See, there is no use attempting to deny it, Uryuu. We are too alike."

 _"I apologise, was I wrong?"_

The child pushes up his glasses, shaking his head.

Shi smiles, _"Both of you are equally bad at expressing feelings. That's your main similarity, really."_

He watches the silver of disgust snake across Uryuu's face, but the child's father is better at hiding.

The little ripple in the reishi is all the warning he gets before he decides that he should quickly conclude his business.

 _"I will leave promptly once Hanataro is healed, Ishida-san. Until then, I apologise for intruding."_

Uryuu holds a hand out to stop him from leaving through the window.

"Shi-san is not a Shinigami, Ryuuken. There is no need to treat him like one."

The reishi settles and the man turns on his heel, white doctor's coating flapping behind him.

"Do as you wish, Uryuu."

 _As if he couldn't care less,_ but Shi knows, the man has given in to his child again.

And yet the child only frowns, turning back to him.

"Don't let him bother you, he's always like that, Shi-san."

The ghost gives a little nod, before running another check for spiritual injury.

 _"Though, if that is the case, Uryuu-san, I could say the same to you, right?"_

He looks away in a huff, crossing his arms defensively.

Staring out the window, the child makes for a sad sight – Shi is unsure if the child knows or does not know his own longing to be treated like someone important.

Longing to be recognised and not stepped all over by his father.

He pulls on the ambient reishi, pulling it into him and converting it to his own reiryoku.

Then expelling it as healing reiatsu, starting from Hanataro, snaking into the walls, expanding his sphere of influence to the whole hospital wing.

Uryuu watches curiously but does not stop him.

"Kurosaki sometimes gets checked in, his room is next door. Ryuuken usually saturates that room with reishi."

Shi does as requested, _"Ishida-san treats Shinigami despite his animosity?"_

The child shrugs.

"Humans are full of contradictions."

He questions that, questions if Ishida-san does it only because of Uryuu-san.

* * *

He follows the child out of the hospital, down the stairs, "These are more discreet if you wish to come on your own," out the garden, "Usually the fellows come here to indulge in themselves. Not what we are doing, but suited to our purpose."

They emerge in the carpark next to the train station and Uryuu gestures at the electronic gate.

"From this angle, no one can see the other side, you can turn invisible there. I'll get hold of the security camera map for you later, but as a general rule rooms are safe."

He points out a hidden camera, snugly fitted in a tree, "It's facing the gate, the only camera in this carpark, so watch out where you disappear. We have a team of technicians watching the screens after the last scare."

 _"I understand, thank you, Uryuu-san. I apologise for all the trouble."_

He shakes his head.

"No, I am appreciative of your effort to not use up the reishi in the environment. Draining it is bad for the patients."

Shi picks up the conversation from there as they step out of the camera's view, _"Is there anything I can help you with, in exchange?"_

Uryuu is not an altruistic child – it is something to be admired.

"I am curious as to how your abilities work."

 _"As am I of yours. I take in reishi to fill my reiryoku then I use it as the Shinigami do."_

The Ishida home is a twenty-minute walk from the Karakura General Hospital, they have time on their hands.

"We Quincy shape reishi, we do not take any in. We are particularly vulnerable to hollow reiryoku, like most humans."

 _"Could you take it in?"_ Shi demonstrates to emphasise his point, the fine blue particles in the air convalescing in his palm, slowing his uptake so Uryuu can see as the reishi liquifies and melts into his palm.

The child tries with a small amount first, but his physical form rejects the spiritual matter.

"It appears not."

 _"What if you try and covert it outside your form? Reishi is easily suggestible, feed it some of your own and try to sway it."_

He forms a small green sphere from his previously liquified reishi, capturing a measure of air with more reishi.

The sphere shrinks and it fills with the same pulsating green reiryoku.

 _"Create a container of your own, Uryuu-san,"_ he coaches, patiently, and the child does not disappoint.

Shi marvels at the child's extraordinary control, finely tuned enough to form a bowl with uniform thickness.

He doesn't close up the bowl, opting to try and coerce the reishi in the air into becoming his.

The bowl fills with a deep blue and the child gives him a slight frown.

 _"Solidify this wind, and bar all entry, Bakudo #10: Heki."_

Giving the archer an encouraging nod, he braces.

The arrow formed from that deep blue reiryoku is much larger but much sharper and well defined than the ones Uryuu loosed back in Seireitei.

"It feels much stronger, are you sure you want to stand right there, Shi-san? This is not the same as the test shot I fired earlier today."

 _"Then perhaps you want to make it smaller and use less of your converted reiryoku? So that the arrow the same size as your usual. It'd be a fairer comparison too."_

The bowl floating remotely on its own fills back up.

As a show of how seriously he treats the experiment, Shi adds a supporting Kojutsu Eisho, _"Solid wind that bars all entry, protect me."_

The silly child, not quite trusting his Kido skills, aims precisely so that even if Heki fails the arrow will not touch him.

It's an awkward angle to fire at so Shi is not surprised to see the arrow go astray.

No, he is not surprised by the flare of annoyance across the child's face.

However, he is surprised when the arrow swerves back.

Instinctually, he phases back, but the dark blue arrow gives chase.

His hair whips in his face as he ducks, the arrow cheekily dive bombs him, bypassing his Heki entirely.

He watches the concentration on young Uryuu's face turn to grim-faced determination.

Then he remembers, the child intends to use his gift to fight.

 _After all, what use is an unused weapon?_

He exhales lightly, before smashing his Heki into the arrow which grinds to a halt.

As the arrow disintegrates, he notes that it forms much denser reishi, so dense it refuses to meld into his reiryoku to reinforce his now damaged Heki.

The child is unsatisfied but when compared to a simple arrow – it comes easy, like breathing to the child – the damage is far greater.

It's only for a moment but Shi smiles warmly at the child, and Uryuu turns away, pushing up his spectacles, murmuring his thanks.

 _"It'll take longer, but it will be stronger, I presume you will get faster if you practise more, but then again, I've never seen a Quincy before or beyond you. Do you feel a great strain?"_

He forms a flask this time and it fills steadily with the dark blue reiryoku. No faster than before, no slower.

"There is a strain when converting the reishi into my own reishi but after, manipulating the form of this reishi is easier. So it balances out."

* * *

They spend the rest of their day trying to increase his speed.

Uryuu forms his bow slowly, taking the time to slowly change reishi into his, before coaxing it into shape.

The bow measures over a metre in height, with a metallic sheen on the main body, and dark blue reiryoku forming the prior web shape.

Every time the bow dissolves, they repeat again, the same laborious process.

It takes time, time Uryuu won't have when facing those Arrancar.

They time it, again, again, again.

Shi has always wondered, in those seconds which it takes for Shinigami to release their Shikai, why are they not cut down.

"Eighteen seconds. Fifteen to gather enough reishi, three to form."

 _"Compared to your former twelve, where all the time was spent forming as you gathered."_

He does it again, trying to form as he gathers, but he can't split his attention like that.

The bowl spills, they start over.

He pushes it, tries to force it to become his and his hands are burnt.

Shi heals him, they start over.

The child keeps going, gathering, gathering, trying to store it but failing they shave off, one, two, seconds.

The child is now seated, his legs are aching.

Shi heals him, they continue.

"Still too slow," the child mutters under his breath, Shi does not say a word.

He remembers he is teaching this child to dive into danger and risk his life.

They continue until the child lies down on the roof and does not get up.

Shi hovers over the child, healing away the aches and pains, carefully suffusing the layer of air just above the skin with reishi.

Carrying the child and phasing through the unwelcoming doors of the Ishida home, he realises, lingering in the melancholy atmosphere of the home, he is teaching the child to survive.

Because even without anyone's guidance, Uryuu-san is ready to jump headfirst into danger.

After all, the only thing on his bedside table is a framed picture of he and his friends.

He ghosts past the open door and Ishida-san calls out to him, curt but polite.

"Why don't you stay here, until you can take the Shinigami off our hands?"

It's a request more than an offer, when the hospital director follows up with a, "Unless you already have some set place in mind?"

Shi would rather not say _"Under a tree, Ishida-san,"_ for the man might be insulted.

"Besides. It looks like Uryuu would much rather train with you than me."

The ghost shakes his head.

 _"Do you not think he is trying to impress you, Ishida-san?"_

The doctor scoffs.

"He's all too ready to discard his life for his friends. How could that possibly be trying to impress me? I told him to discard it, I told him I would train him if he gave up on his Shinigami friends, I told him to let the Quincies end with his grandfather, but he listened to not one of those."

The swivel chair is turned to face him but he's half hidden by the door.

 _"But Ishida-san if you, knowing all these still hold onto your powers, still gave him those powers then I do not know what it is you want of your son. Because what Uryuu-san wants of you is very clear to me."_

* * *

"Repeatedly, Ryuuken supports his son, protects his son, but never calls him son. A look into the functioning dysfunction of the Ishida family, and the question of "What are quincy powers?" Because humans are full of contradictions."

* * *

Longer chapter today, because I had an actual idea of where it was going.

If I keep at my current a chapter every 2 days, I am not on track to finishing the NaNo 50 k by the end of November, much less my admittedly ambitious 31 chapters.

No matter, I will end this only on the 31st chapter, by the end of November I'm still hoping for 50k, so that's about 6 chapters after this one.

As always, do review your ideas and feedback :)

I love reading everything you all have to say, and I want to write what you all want to read.

So don't be shy, I hope to hear from you!

(21 November 2017)


	14. Chapter 14 - Wishing, Yachiru

_14\. He'll do his best to forget she thirsts to kill._

* * *

The little pink haired girl burst through successive doors, yelling for him, going, "Ghostie-chan, ghostie-chan!"

From the end of the corridor, Shi begins his afternoon rounds, checking up on the patients.

Like a well-timed dance, he opens the door as she shuts one.

She takes a step in and a look around, he takes a step out and phases silently to an alternate door to throw the girl off.

Closing the door as she opens sometimes makes his heart beat a tad faster, but she never seems to catch him.

Perhaps she enjoys playing cat and mouse, but the girl always goes systematically, from door to door.

He steps out into the corridor rather than phase through walls in order to keep track of her location.

The hallway is long, with fifteen rooms on each side.

He starts at the 1st as she begins with the 30th, the rooms furthest and closest to the outside respectively.

She goes slowly, skipping in and out with her zanpakuto being dragged behind her.

Shi listens carefully for the soft humming and the clatter of toy wheels across the wooden floorboards.

He can't shake off the eerie silence that lingers in each room the girl has visited, the Shinigami are still in shock and fear.

The other time the girl came when he was making rounds in the rooms specially for the Academy children suffering from kido burns the students fainted.

The girl had sat on the floor and pouted up at him, telling him, "All I wanted to do was play, Ghostie-chan."

He took one look at the zanpakuto with its pink hilt and plum tsuba, hoisted up in the air like an antenna and hazarded a guess.

 _"Why don't we play tag-n-seek, Kusajishi-fukutaicho-sama? But not here, I know a corridor with more rooms."_

He sweeps out of the room as soon as he hears a door close.

Entering, his door and her door both opening at the same time.

The click of the doorknobs syncing so perfectly, like a thread loosening in his non-existent heart.

Seventh Division members present at last week's game tense as he enters and relax when the doors close.

They shake their head quietly, not wanting to be held at a knifepoint and asked by a hyper child on sugar, "Have you see ghostie-chan? If you do, remember to yell so I can catch him!"

Yachiru-chan doesn't play fair, but neither is playing tag-n-seek with a ghost who can turn invisible.

Shi scans them over once, checking the respective broken bones, arm, leg and shoulder.

He nods to assure the lady who winces when she shifts her shoulder wrong.

 _"Don't worry, it's healing fine, Misa-san."_

He murmurs softly under the volume of the wheels rolling across polished wood.

Carefully, he helps Taku-san shift his leg into a different position and Jin-san his casted arm, promoting blood flow and preventing numbness.

He opens the door as she closes another, the child immediately flings back open the door.

He phases into the next room as the girl lets out a disappointed, "Aww ghostie-chan, I nearly saw you."

Shi mis-stepped but he perseveres, he needs to finish his rounds before he can end their first game of the day.

* * *

The door clicks shut again and his last set of patients – from the Eighth.

Contrary to popular belief, the Eighth is not only composed of females.

There are numerous males and non-identifiers.

One of those males just happens to be their captain with a penchant for questionable humour.

Nanao-fukutaicho-sama jokes with him that her captain would never let him join the Eighth.

Pushing up her spectacles in the way she often does, feigning seriousness, and delivering with a straight face, "Kyoraku-taicho would never allow someone more handsome than him into our division."

"Nanao-chan! I'm hurt. Besides, not everyone can stand out like me. Don't mind her, Shi-chan. Nanao-chan is just jealous of your beauty, and we'd love to have you in the Eight. You'd be perfect for a job I have in mind."

The lady smacks the man lightly with her hospital clipboard.

They both got booked in by their division members after a drinking party that got a tad too violent.

The drunk pair came with a note asking to keep them away from the sake.

Kyoraku-taicho-sama did most of the drinking, but in his defence, Nanao-fukutaicho-sama was the one to get physical with him first – he did supposedly spike her drink after all.

Today there are loud patients, namely these ones who are not afraid of the child with pink hair.

"Shi-san, I really have to ask again. Is there no way to get myself transferred out of this room with my taicho? He literally spiked my drink."

It's half a joke, but enough that it makes Shi concerned, though he has long decided that Kyoraku-taicho is not the type.

"Like I said my dearest Nanao-chan, it wasn't meeeeee. Rest assured, we will find out who, I will protect you."

Shi hopes he does.

The niece he has protected for so long is on her own more vulnerable than the captain is willing to admit.

Yachiru bursts into the room and he turns invisible.

Kyoraku-taicho-sama's reiatsu is strong enough to fill the gap he left in mere seconds, and the girl only asks chirpily, "Have you seen ghostie-chan?"

Immediately, the taicho's smile gentles from his roguish one.

"He was with us a few minutes ago, is there something wrong, Kusajishi-fukutaicho?"

"We're playing tag! Thanks Shun-shun, Nana! Imma see you later!"

The door shuts and Shi comes back into existence.

That smile lingers, "Well I guess that's our cue to be discharged, don't you think, Shi-chan?"

Already Nanao-fukutaicho has filled the paperwork for their release, the healer only needs to sign it.

Perhaps the thought of mountains of piled up paperwork back in their division compels the fukutaicho to stride out the door once Shi's pen touches the form.

The taicho takes his time, tying his sakkat and pulling on his pink robe.

"It's nice to see Kusajishi-fukutaicho interacting with more people."

The man happily opens the door and calls out, "Kusajishi-fukutaicho, Shi-chan is over here, waiting for you."

The child barrels into him full force, voice filled with delight, "Caught you, ghostie-chan, thank you Shun-shun. Do you wanna play with us? We're gonna play… we're gonna play… what do you wanna play, ghostie-chan?"

As the girl dashes out the open door with a happy shout, "Look, a butterfly!" Kyoraku-taicho-sama gives Shi another of his patented half-eye smiles.

"It's nice to see her caring for what other people think."

The child turns back to wave him out.

Shi only replies, _"She wants other people to care, Kyoraku-taicho-sama. I think it's okay to be selfish sometimes."_

* * *

Shi follows that child as she rolls down grassy hills and runs over little mounds.

They're picking flowers to make a flower chain, but Yachiru-chan doesn't want any flowers but the pink ones.

So instead, Shi takes the blue, white and yellow ones.

In total, they both pick about 20 long stemmed flowering plants.

 _"Still remember how to do it from last week?"_

She shakes her head, her mood a bit dampened, "Kenny and I both don't really have a good memory. Show me again, ghostie-chan?"

The little Shinigami sets her zanpakuto by the side and watches patiently.

 _"So take three of them and begin a braid. Why don't you copy me, Yachiru-chan?"_

"Mn!"

The girl pulls three pink daisies from her pile, playing the part of an attentive student.

 _"These three will be our centrepiece, so choose the ones you want for those."_

"Done!"

Deftly he shows, lining the flowers one after the other, he raises one of each colour to show Yachiru.

 _"Start them slightly after each other, like this. This leaves us a small gap that we will need later."_

The girl copies.

 _"Twist your rightmost one, for me, it's this one, over the centre one, under the leftmost."_

He waits for the girl's smaller fingers to thread the stem through.

 _"Now the leftmost one over the centre, becoming the new centre one."_

The girl's fingers remember though the girl may not.

She smiles up at him happily.

 _"Good! Now the right one again, to the centre."_

Yachiru-chan follows, sticking out her tongue in concentration.

"Can I add another flower now, Shi-chan?"

 _"Sure, if you'd like. I'll show you how."_

He picks up a white daisy and pinches Yachiru's braid close as she scrambles back to her flower pile.

 _"So we braid with three stems right? Just line up your new flower with a stem already part of the braid."_

He places his white daisy on the halfway mark of his bluebell's stem.

Yachiru follows speedily.

 _"Then we braid as before, using the new flower's stem as part of the original braid."_

The girl rambles about 'Baldy' and 'Yun-yun' and how 'Yun-yun' will love the chain, and how Baldy will love it but pretend he doesn't cause he, "Wants to be manly!"

Shi lets her talk, humming occasionally, nodding at the right moments.

When her chatter seems to stall, he will bring in his own questions, like, _"What do you like doing, Yachiru-chan?"_

"Eating snacks and sweets! Especially Byakushi's!"

They near the end of the braid, Yachiru adds another flower.

They continue braiding and Yachiru tells Shi about her early life.

"Kenny saved me, ghostie-chan."

 _"He found you?"_

They measure wrists and Yachiru comments, "Your wrists are really small, ghostie-chan! I feel like I might accidentally snap them into two!"

Shi laughs, though he is reminded that she is not a 'child' but a Shinigami who can kill.

"In District 79, Kusajishi. He didn't know my name like I didn't. He named me. He named me and because of that, Kenny and I are going to be together no matter what."

The pink-haired girl decides that that's the perfect length, Shi teaches her how to end it.

 _"Remember the gap we made at the beginning? Now we pull the stems to the starting flowers, and place the ends into the gaps there, hiding them behind the flowers."_

Yachiru follows, now absentminded – her attention has waned.

"Ken-chan and I have always been together, from the moment I woke up. And yet even now neither of us know our birth names."

 _"You're Yachiru-chan, that's what Kenpachi-taicho-sama named you, no? Why don't you consider your meeting your birth?"_

She tugs at the ends of the stems to tighten the wrist chain, lips downturned.

"It's not the same, ghostie-chan. Don't you ever wonder? What is your actual name? I want to know my real name."

 _"Why are you called Yachiru, then? Why do you let people call you that when you feel this way?"_

The girl tightens the chain so small it would only just about fit her.

"Ken-chan said he named me after the only person he ever admired."

 _"But it's not you he's admiring,"_ he presses gently, and the girl shakes her head.

"It's not."

Shi is wrong.

She is a child, still.

Despite her age, despite her capacity for violence, she is a child.

Like a child longing to get out of the shadow of their parent's name, 'Yachiru' is a name given of convenience, not suited to the child, and places a burden on her shoulders.

 _"What would you like to be called then, Kusajishi-fukutaicho? What is your name?"_

The child latches onto his back and demands to be carried while mumbling in his robe that, "I told you to call me Yachiru-chan, ghostie-chan."

* * *

He phases to the Eleventh Division with the child's legs resting on his shoulder and chin buried in his hair.

She shakes off his stabilising grip on her legs whenever she shifts.

Mid phase she tends to attempt all kinds of methods to find a spot more comfortable than her last.

Another phase later the child is just hands on his shoulders, trying to fly, going, "Wheeee!"

She's sorely disappointed when she realises that Shi is not actually moving, and promptly clambers to stand on his shoulders.

Because she lets go of her hold on his hair, she stumbles at his next phase, Shi catches her in time, settling her back in her original position.

"This is my spot now, ghostie-chan."

He hums, _"Who knows, maybe you'll find a better one, Yachiru-chan."_

As he walks through the gate, a few Shinigami salute their vice-captain who yawns sleepily at them.

Already, he feels Kenpachi-taicho's reiatsu sneak over.

Even though the captain is simply taking an afternoon nap, the amount of reiryoku that leaks out of him is astounding.

Then, it washes over.

Yachiru snaps up, "Oh, Ken-chan is awake!"

Like as if she were given a shot of pure sugar, the pink-haired girl is jumping off her and yelling her goodbyes.

Her mind is on the man who named her and the things they could do, "Ken-chan, let's go have some fun! Do you think Shun-shun would play with you today?"

Shi catches sight of Yachiru's 'Yun-yun' and waves.

The fashionably dressed male sidles up, eyes following his to the disappearing pink blur.

"Thank you for babysitting our fukutaicho today, Shi-san."

 _"It was a pleasure as always, Ayasegawa-sama."_

Taking in the new blue feather on the male's eyebrow this day, Shi relaxes back to his immaterial form to take off his flower chain.

Handing the Fifth seat the chain, he explains, _"Yachiru-chan said you'd like it, so we made it for you."_

Without a moment's hesitation, the flower chain soon adorns Ayasegawa-sama's wrist.

"Thank you Shi-san, it's beautiful, I never realised how bare my wrist was until I wore this."

Shi smiles, _"Still not as beautiful as you."_

The man chuckles, fanning himself, "Of course, nothing is quite as beautiful…"

Shi bids the male goodbye and the fifth seat happily waves him off.

* * *

When he reaches back to the Fourth's barracks, taicho chides him softly, "I hope you don't intend to enter the medical rooms like that? You of all people should know that Izuru-fukutaicho is very sensitive to pollen, let alone a flower crown."

The lady reaches over and plucks off his head a pink daisy crown, a tiny one at that.

"I suppose Kusajishi-fukutaicho left it there? She stuck it with reiryoku as well, the industrious girl trying to make it stay on you."

He remembers the way the girl sounded as she spoke about her own name, politely receiving the crown/chain/bracelet from his captain.

 _"I apologise, taicho-sama… I did not realise…"_

 _I did not realise she… I did not realise that she felt so strongly._

Because Yachiru is both a child and not.

He asks, _"Taicho-sama, do you know anyone else named Yachiru? Yachiru says that she was named after someone called Yachiru. I would like for her to meet this person, please."_

Unohana-taicho merely tilts her head, smiling placidly.

"Is that so? Of course, if that is what Kusajishi-fukutaicho would like, then I will arrange for her to meet the Yachiru I have in mind."

For that child to have given him the chain they set out to make for her closest companion, the concept of 'names' must have upset her.

 _"Is this 'Yachiru' strong, taicho-sama? For Kenpachi-taicho-sama to have admired this person, then this person must be strong. Yachiru hopes to grow out of the name she has been given."_

His captain gives him another smile, easing away his anxiousness.

"I would say that she is strong. But Kusajishi-fukutaicho needs to find her own way, instead of staying put in the other's shadow."

* * *

When taicho died and Yachiru-chan disappeared, he guessed.

* * *

"I can't tell you my name, Shi-chan. You won't be able to hear it."

 _"Really, Yachiru-chan? I can even hear Hanahana's zanpakuto, how softly can you speak?"_

The little pink-haired girl's giggle was like a wind chime, there one moment and in the next she was gone, leaving just her uniform and lieutenant armband.

"Wait for Kenny to tell you."

And then, Kenpachi-taicho's voice roared over the battlefield.

Shi couldn't hear it.

Couldn't hear the name the Eleventh's Captain spoke before the wave crashed down on him.

Like a whisper – an aged oak keening in the gale.

"Drink!"

 _Oh, he heard it!_

 _But the name?_

He hears her laugh again, her silhouette on the battlefield.

 _"Yachiru-chan,"_ the only name he knew slips from his lips.

Her pink hair and plum yukata, just like the colour scheme of her zanpakuto, but she was taller, stronger, more hardened.

As her taicho charges, she runs with him, eyes alight with a desire to cut, lips spread in a smile.

"Nozarashi!"

The worn blade in the hand of Kenpachi-taicho morphed into a massive cleaver, a gold hilt with a worn edge.

By then, even Yachiru's shadow was gone.

* * *

Though she's gone, he still goes by occasionally to see if she wanted someone to just play with.

Yumichika-san always shakes his head – but he swears sometimes around Kenpachi-taicho-sama, he can hear the child's footsteps and laugh.

And though the captain would ignore him along with the unwelcome memories of the child whose presence they both lost, Shi swears –

He swears, sometimes, when he stares hard enough at the released Nozarashi, he can see Yachiru in its reflective surface.

Shi swears a lot of things, but then again, he promised himself that he would forget.

* * *

"A take on Yachiru, and mildly on Kenpachi-Yachiru-Kenpachi's zanpakuto. Headcanon: Yachiru is Nozarashi."

* * *

Woo 3k, that makes this the longest chapter yet.

Many, many thanks to ruined pride for today's prompt!

Thing is, if I manage to keep clocking 3k for the rest of this month I'll make it for the 50k deadline, but I don't think my creative juices will keep going so long.

So its super important that I receive input from readers (yes you:) ) on what I should write next - review please!

(23 November 2017)


	15. Chapter 15 - Unequality, Zanpakuto

_15\. He will forget his momentary weakness._

* * *

It came as a soft whisper in the middle of the night, first coaxing.

 _[Come with me.]_

Shi snaps awake, as does Hisagomaru.

/Did you hear that too, Shi-chan?"/

Hana's comfortable breathing in his bed forms a backdrop for those spine crawling words.

 _[I will free you.]_

Shi nods.

 _"I feel uneasy, Hisa. I don't think hearing voices is normal."_

The robot's empty gauge eye becomes smaller in a semblance of a frown.

/Someone is speaking to the zanpakutos, trying to convince us to leave our wielders./

His robot arm moves subconsciously to protect his wielder and Shi is assured that Hisa will not be swayed.

 _"I will go and ask Kyoraku-taicho-sama. This sounds almost like a rebellion. A zanpakuto rebellion if the speaker can reach all zanpakuto."_

/I will stay and watch over Hanataro then. Shi-chan, zanpakuto spirits are different from their wielders, don't treat them the same way./

Eyes flicking from the white robot to the Shinigami fast asleep he can't help but note obvious differences.

If Hana, who has a good relationship with Hisagomaru, is so different from his zanpakuto, he hardly dares think about those Shinigami who have a bad one.

He phases out the door and through the roof, crossing over their Division grounds in a shift.

It's hardly the time to be saving energy when he can hear the voice calling out, louder.

 _[Come with me!]_

 _[We have been enslaved too long!]_

The shinigamis' main mode of offence and defence is their zanpakuto.

Without their zanpakuto spirit, he doubts they can repel an assault.

Shi is curious as to the motives of the one who started this rebellion.

He stepped onto the grounds of the Eight Division when the voice sounded out, loud and clear.

 _[Call out to me, my brethren, and we will teach these Shinigami a lesson they will never forget.]_

When he phases into the captain's bedroom, the taicho sits up languidly.

"Maa, Shi-chan, you didn't say you were coming to visit me."

Under the sleepy smile is the undercurrent of, "What's going on?"

 _"I… Kyoraku-taicho-sama, can your zanpakuto hear the voice calling them to leave?"_

His eyes sharpen, hands reaching for his zanpakuto resting on the pillow next to his.

The moment his fingers touch the blade, Shi can roughly see two figures, both with purple hair.

 _"Taicho-sama, is this a rebellion you have kept tabs on? Is this the rebellion you've been watching for? Is it a cause for concern?"_

The man is dressed in a flash, one moment he's in pink bunny slippers and the next they're both in mid-shunpo.

* * *

They land in the Kuchiki estate and a servant hurries out to meet them, asking most surprised, "May I know what is the reason for this visit at such an hour?"

"Please wake Lord Kuchiki, I must check something that pertains to Seireitei's security."

The servant hurries back in and both of them follow.

All the while, Kyoraku-taicho maintains a conversation with his zanpakuto.

Occasionally another message will come through in whispers, though Shi can barely hear it.

"Katen Kyokotsu says the speaker is trying to convince zanpakuto spirits to materialise if you're curious."

 _"Ah, thank you, taicho-sama, Katen Kyokotsu-sama. But why are we here?"_

Faintly he hears a voice lightly remarking, /So polite, let's keep him, Shunsui./

The captain tips his hat down and leads on into the manor.

"We're here to look for a zanpakuto called Muramasa, who should still be here, sealed."

 _"Should be?"_

"He's gone," comes the voice of the Sixth Division captain, cool and composed.

Next to him is an imposing figure, dressed in half-samurai garb and long purple hair tied up with a white ribbon.

/We do not have time for this, Byakuya./

Shi takes a step back, _"You're a zanpakuto, right? You can hear the voice as well, promising freedom?"_

"And I believe that voice. I do not think that zanpakuto should be treated as weapons or mere tools. Therefore, I am joining this rebellion."

Next to them, Kyoraku-taicho draws his zanpakuto steadily in response the to the Kuchiki Head's treasonous statement.

And yet he makes no comment to try and convince his fellow captain, going straight to violence.

Shi watches the two shadows with purple hair gradually lighten and take shape.

A pair of ladies, stepping out of the blade, one older, one younger.

The older one 'tsks' softly.

/I thought you were gentlemanly, Shunsui. I guess, after all, you're just dull. We're leaving as well. But we zanpakuto could do with a polite healer, so you are very welcome to join us, Shi-kun./

The younger one blasts her wielder out the door, and the older one took his silence as consent.

Byakuya-sama does not look at him once, the trip to nowhere is made in silence.

Shunpo is the art of movement, where the body moves at high speeds – the wind whips past them all and they race towards Sokyoku Hill.

/The leader of the rebellion is Muramasa, whose ability lies in being able to speak to other zanpakuto. He was unfairly sentenced and sealed by the Central 46. Today we will rewrite history and create a world where zanpakuto and Shinigami are equal, Shi-kun./

The elder lady smiles at him, gesturing into a large cave at the base of the hill.

Raucous laughter greets them, lively chatter and a huge gathering of zanpakuto spirits of all shapes and sizes are there.

/Ah look, friends. Don't worry Shi-kun, everyone here will protect you because you're like us, trodden upon by the Shinigami. In case you never caught it, my name's Katen./ with a jaunty wave she saunters off.

While Shi blends well into the crowd with his semi-corporeal form basking in the glow of numerous melding reiatsus, Byakuya-sama causes a hush to fall over the crowd.

They regard him with distrust and suspicion, but their leader silences their murmurs.

In that moment, it was an us-versus-him mentality.

Shi has no doubt that the Lord Kuchiki is strong, but he would not have wanted to fight over a hundred zanpakutos at one go.

 _[My brethren,]_ Shi shudders at the voice, shoulders drawing close.

 _[Finally, we have Shinigami who are seeing the error of their ways. Welcome, Kuchiki Byakuya.]_ the male zanpakuto chuckles, emphasising his demented appearance.

Purple encircles his brown eyes, making it look like he has forgone sleep; The fur coat on him clings to his chest yet is disproportionate around his neck, making him look undernourished; His thin arms are spread like a king welcomes his guests, yet this zanpakuto looks simply unwell.

 _Why is everyone in purple suddenly, anyway?_

Those eyes slide over to him and the thin lips lift into a small smile.

 _[Also, let us welcome Seireitei's resident lost ghost, its underappreciated medic who is highly praised by Katen Kyokotsu and Sogyo no Kotowari.]_

A hundred pair of eyes swinging from Byakuya-sama to him, a perfect diversion to prevent anger or unease from breaking out.

He bows formally, _"I too, wish to see a world where zanpakuto and shinigami are equals. Because zanpakuto are beings with their own emotions and needs that the Shinigami must not neglect."_

Smatterings of applause – he's accepted easily, he slips into his medic role all too easily and they let him even though he is really more Shinigami than zanpakuto.

* * *

The zanpakuto are loyal to their own kind – they protect him seriously, knowing he is much weaker than them.

Spending just one night with them is enough to make him question his own loyalties because these are scarred and worn weapons.

He does his best to heal them, but there are some wounds that no amount of healing kido can solve because these are scars on their soul.

/Can you hear my name?/ comes the rasping voice of the spirit people around him call Hei because he's wearing black.

Shi calms the spirit down, soothing, _"Hei-san, you shouldn't speak,"_ this zanpakuto's voice is raw from screaming his heart out, wondering and questioning why his user can't hear him.

All the same, ignoring his fruitless attempts, the Shinigami who has held Hei since he was an asauchi has abandoned him time and time again, threatening to break him unless he speaks the name of his release.

He pours a wave of healing reiryoku over the spirit, dousing him to sleep, sighing.

His fingers run through straggly black strands of hair, matted with sweat and blood, tugging out the knots as Sui-san maintains control of water from a nearby stream, diverting the flow for the other spirits to use.

She runs a small current through Shi's hands as he washes Hei-san.

They are polite, they all respect each other because they all understand their own pain.

Zanpakuto spirits cannot say their own name to others until their wielders know their own name.

As a way to give an identity to those whose wielders were always unsuited to call upon them, the zanpakuto take to naming each other.

It alleviates the pain, knowing that someone knows them by a name, that they exist, that they /exist/ and Shi's heart aches.

 _"Thank you, Sui-san. Is there anything I could help you with?"_

The blond-haired water using spirit shakes her head, /Utau-san has some cuts though./

Their names relate to something of their appearance, to something of their abilities, though those who have neither are not rare either.

Those ghoulish, black shades are sometimes mindless but sometimes so human Shi tries his best to avoid them because they vary in temperament.

Sui-san uses water, thus her name, 'Sui', Oto-san uses sound, thus his name, 'Oto'. There was also an Utau-san Shi met last night, who sang a calming lullaby for all of them.

Shi phases over to the corner, where Oto-san sits with his flute.

 _"Oto-san, could I look at your injuries for you?"_

The musician, blinks watery eyes at him, setting down his flute.

Circular marks and deep gorges in his fingers, crusted blood under layers of peeled skin – the spirit extends his hands as he remarks lowly that, /Even if you heal them now, by tonight they will bleed. I am not good enough. My own flute rejects me. I can't play anything that pleases my wielder!/

He tugs those wounded hands away from the male's flute.

The flute is unpolished, full of splinters and cracks from misuse.

Shi cuts his own fingers and can't help the gasp that escapes him because it hurts – that something with the capacity for beauty was hurting someone as helpless as Oto-san.

With bleeding fingers, he gently cleans out the cuts on Oto-san's hands, healing them and bandaging them in a protective shell of reiatsu.

 _"Try playing now? If the flute still hurts, I can make you a stronger coating."_

The man's lips are bleeding, but the note that sounds out is clear.

Shi's heart is bleeding.

He doesn't even have to look far before he sights another spirit in distress, so he hurries off.

 _"Koen-san, let me heal you."_

/No, no, Shi-san. I must be able to take the pain if I wish to serve. I am no use otherwise. I am so angry and so tired, my master used me relentlessly but he expected me to keep going no matter what hit me. He never spoke to me and then when he finally did it was to curse me for my one failure and what a hateful Shinigami I wish I never protected him, I should kill him!/

Most spirits are still tussling between their nature as partners of the Shinigami and the resentment that has been buried in them since the day they first met their partners.

Like Koen-san, whose name means shield, his shikai form is basically a shield but he refused to use the name his Shinigami calls him by – as a result, everyone only calls him Koen.

Shi has no doubt that Koen-san would protect them and everyone else here from everything possible but Shi worries for his mental state.

 _"If I heal you, then you'll be stronger, Koen-san, please?"_

The male gives in, always, but in a few hours, Shi will have to come back to check for self-inflicted wounds in the name of building pain tolerance.

Zanpakuto like Koen-san were in a worse position because they cannot reconcile the fact that they are in pain because of their Shinigami and the fact that they were apparently meant for that Shinigami.

Shi can't help but absorb of their anger – it's reflected in his cautious treatment of Byakuya-sama.

Because Senbonzakura does not defer to his wielder, Shi trusts him, but the samurai himself never speaks about his own treatment, bearing everything in silence.

When they return from a skirmish, Shi is called up to heal them.

Senbonzakura got hurt while protecting Byakuya-sama, it's that sacrificial act that Shi cannot reconcile because they're supposed to be equal.

 _"Byakuya-sama does not seem to be protecting you at all,"_ the disapproval in his voice is clear, he hates that the relationship between Shinigami and zanpakuto is not a give and take.

Later, the samurai softly replies that, /It is our duty to serve/ and Shi wonders if even he is broken inside.

* * *

When it all ends and all Shinigami reclaim their spirits, Shi insists on speaking to the ones who come for Sui, Oto and Hei.

Because Koen committed soul suicide and he'll be damned if any of those three go that way too.

When it's all said and done, Shi realises that the very nature of the relationship between zanpakuto and Shinigami is unhealthy.

For to a certain extent, all zanpakuto wish to be used.

It is their desire to be strong, to be valued, but this can only happen when they are used.

There is a fine line between being exploited and being meaningfully made use of and an even finer line between partnership and tool-ship.

* * *

"Prompt: What does Shi think of mistreated zanpakuto spirits? Because Muramasa can't be the only one, and there's this anime arc called the Zanpakuto Rebellion. In which copious amounts of shunpo are used to kidnap Shi here and there, and Shi doesn't really resist."

* * *

Alright! I'm back to daily writing.

Many thanks to ruined pride for today's prompt – I nearly forgot about the rebellion because I wanted to use it as a way to write about Hisagomaru, but then I used the Hogyoku for that.

While re-reading this I teared a little because I realised that for all the talk of partnerships in bleach and everything, zanpakuto are still tools of the Shinigami. They are at the mercy of their wielders more often than not, and wielders of a blade can kill while a locked up spirit can only go mad.

I also thought a little about actual rebellions. So rebellion starts because of a figurehead, but the roots are in a societal problem. When fighting breaks out, the people paying the price is still everyone.

A problem is everyone's, not just one person's and eventually, like Shi got Shunsui who got his zanpakuto then Byakuya then more and more and more people, maybe chaos which precedes order is necessary?

As always, do drop a review because it keeps me writing :)

(24 November 2017)


	16. Chapter 16 - Crack, Hueco Mundo

_16\. He will forget everything._

* * *

Alt. The obligatory AU where Shi can actually be a hero for once. [I'm not being serious. This is crack.]

* * *

 _"Despite the spirit membrane Orihime-chan, I can still see you, so there's no use hiding. Do you want to tell me why you are sneaking around Karakura at midnight, in tears like this?"_

The girl starts, before whispering, "You can't be here, Shi-san. The Arrancar will kill you if he sees you."

 _"Mhm, I see so then Aizen-san must want you for something and nabbed you on the way back through the Seikaimon? It is unlike Soul Society to be so lax with the safety of someone like you. No doubt there was insider help."_

Shi walks the child back to her home.

"Shi-san, you'll get caught like this, you can't stay, please…"

The ghost smiles, _"I am sure I'll be very welcome in Hueco Mundo. And you do need company, don't you, Orihime-chan? I am not a person, so Aizen cannot blame you, and I am not you so there's no problem with me telling everyone that we're being kidnapped, yes?"_

It's a pity that Aizen has followers like robots – unable to resist the illogical logic presented to them.

 _"Your order was to bring Orihime-chan back to Aizen-san, yes? And that in that time frame she could say goodbye to one person as long as the person did not know about her? Ichigo-kun is in no state to know of her, so she went to the hospital to say her goodbye. There's nothing wrong, is there, Arrancar-san?"_

With a hand resting on the blade at his hip, the green-eyed Arrancar nods slightly, before opening a garganta.

"I will bring you two to Aizen-sama now."

Shi floats behind Orihime, turning invisible but assuring her occasionally of his continued presence.

The walk through the desert sands of Hueco Mundo are short, the Arrancar has good control over his powers.

"Shi-san, are you sure Aizen-san will let you stay?"

 _"Why not? I'm another healer. You can never have too many healers."_

She hears the tinge of laughter in the ghost's voice and questions again, _how did he convince the Arrancar to let him come along, after writing no less than a dozen letters to everyone from Doctor Ishida to Unohana-taicho?_

With a little theatrical flair, the white doors of the castle in the middle of an expanse of sand swing open creaking.

Shi muses and Orihime can't help her giggle, _"I guess oil's too expensive, huh."_

If the Arrancar's eyebrow twitched, it only contributed to Shi's smile.

Clapping greets them as they walk through the hallway, standing in the middle is the former Third Division Captain, Orihime freezes in mild shock before the Arrancar prods her into moving.

"Good job, Ulquiorra-kun, Aizen-sama'll be pleased with ya. You brought not one, but two healers, way to o'er achieve."

Shi laughs softly and it echoes in the long hallway, Orihime doesn't deny that having a familiar voice around her soothes her greatly.

 _"Aren't you pleased as well, Gin-sama?"_

"To see you again, Ghostie-chan? Of course, but that can't possibly be tha reason for ya to come all tha way 'ere, can it?"

Orihime peers over Shi's now solid shoulder to look at the ex-Captain.

 _"It was one of a few reasons, Gin-sama, absolutely no reason for you to feel special. However, though you were not expecting me, I'm sure you have suitable restraints for me?"_

"Of course not, Shi-san. You and Orihime-chan are guests here. Welcome to Las Noches."

Aizen's voice comes from the door up ahead, and it opens to reveal a large throne room.

Captain Ichimaru's smile widens.

"Now, Ulquiorra, you really shouldn't keep Aizen-sama waiting."

The Arrancar frowns before prodding Orihime again.

Shi phases with her, forward a few steps out of the male's reach, prompting the male to employ their version of the shunpo.

In a few phases, they enter the room.

Multiple pairs of eyes fall on them once they are visible, Gin steps in after them to direct Ulquiorra to his seat at the long table.

* * *

Following the dreary colour scheme of the desert, even the long table is white.

A long, white table with claws as the table feet, chairs placed on both sides each numbered from one to ten, each with an Arrancar, except for the chair with 'Four' carved into it.

In a moment Ulquiorra seats himself and Shi feels Orihime tug at his sleeve, murmuring softly, "There are ten of them, if they're the elite they must be almost as strong as the Captains."

 _"Seireitei is down three captains and they have three. If they haven't invaded Soul Society, then these ten must be not quite as strong as our captains."_

Aizen waves them over from their standing position at the door, still.

With a snap of his fingers, more Arrancar appear and carry in chairs.

Shi smiles at the pair of Arrancar who bring them their chairs, and Orihime thanks them politely.

Though the blonde and raven-haired females are clearly caught off guard they do not break their composure, quickly retreating once Aizen waves them away.

"Please, sit."

The pair of Arrancar wait in the shadow of Aizen's throne, interestedly watching the proceedings.

Shi is intrigued by the army that Aizen has amassed.

 _What is he trying to do?_

He drifts off, counting the number of white marble steps leading up to Aizen's throne.

 _Twenty, forty, sixty, eighty, eighty-two._

Orihime-chan suddenly stands, and he snaps out of his counting, eyes raising to look at the throne itself – the same off-white, maybe slightly green-blue stone.

It's a massive structure, three times the size of Aizen's width and draws attention to Aizen himself.

Shi stands with Orihime, eyes never leaving the throne – the plainness of the throne and Aizen's simple dressing causes there to be a special focus on the man himself.

He looks unremarkable, but that is the beauty of it all.

Even in the room of Aizen's elite, Shi can feel that Aizen is the strongest person in the room.

These ascended hollows, creatures of instinct retain their fear and hatred, like an all-consuming taint, punctuated by the gaping, wound.

Shi stays Orihime's hand from the stump that was once the Sixth Arrancar's arm.

"Now watch, my dear Espada, the ability of the people that our Ulquiorra brought back.

With shaking hands, Orihime raises the truncated limb back to the place where it was cut.

Throughout, the blue-haired male sneers, an ugly expression only made uglier by the half mask of clenched teeth covering his mouth.

He smiles lightly, telling the girl, _"It's going to be okay, Orihime-chan. Until we leave, you should save up your energy."_

The arm is reattached easily and the male fires off a test Cero, blasting off the arm of the Seventh.

The male grins madly, "Not so funny now is it, fucker?"

As Shi's smile falls and Orihime draws back in horror, Aizen only sighs.

His sigh bounces off walls and Shi notes, even the Sixth is intimidated.

"If you would, Orihime-chan. I think this is a bit beyond Shi-san's ability. Go to her, Szayelaporro."

The arm is completely gone from the elbow down, incinerated by the Cero.

The action of Aizen making the Seventh go to Orihime is symbolic – he's telling the whole crowd that the Seventh is below Orihime.

With a glow of her orange shield, the arm returns good as new and the gasp that goes through the crowd is more than enough.

Aizen claps once to disband the meeting.

"Ulquiorra, escort Orihime to her quarters, Loly and Menoly, you are to wait on her."

Shi turns to follow Orihime, but Gin pulls him back, "Maa, Shi-kun, why are ya runnin' away?"

With a last unsure glance, the girl he followed to Heuco Mundo disappears into a white corridor.

Allowing himself to be led, Gin grins, telling him, "Ya roomin' wit' me. Jus' don't try ta kill me in ma sleep, we'll be cool."

* * *

The captain who once gave him persimmons lets him roam freely.

How much of it is his discretion, how much of it is Aizen's orders, Shi can't tell.

It's the problem with Gin, how much of his grin is him?

Orihime-chan is getting along very well with her two Arrancar servants, she made friends with them very quickly after the small show in the throne room, coupled with her politeness, any non-hostile beings would be her friend easily.

How does Shi know this?

Gin let him into the camera room, the room with real-time footage of all the security cameras within the compound of Las Noches, from the rooms of the Espada to the rooms of the dormitories of the less important Arrancar.

"We hav about ta three 'undred or so. Those are the barracks of the Numeros, the better than cannon fodder, but still kinda cannon fodder."

 _"They must be numerous, then, Gin-sama."_

The captain's smile widens, "Atta kid."

They flip computer screens.

"This is the barracks of the Privaron Espada. Basically the weaker version of Espadas or those who got kicked out or replaced by the current Espada. There are three of them still present. The others were either killed or regressed to hollow forms."

Shi jabs another button, asking, _"What does this do?"_

"Hm? It changes the alignment of the hallways. How else do ya think there was a straight one to the throne room?"

They play a while with the hallway keys.

"This one the one ya want if ya wan' the straight path from the door to tha throne room, this one for Hime-chan's room. Also, we come with a PA system that I shouldn't be teachin ya how to use but I'll teach ya anyway."

An hour later, Shi is armed with the ability to speak to specific people in specific hallways and Gin-sama sees him out the door.

"Afterall, you two are just bait for Aizen-sama's grand plan."

Hiding the betrayal behind a mask of 'fun' and absolute 'belief' in Aizen's plans, Shi can see that Gin-sama is not doing what he was ordered to do.

He does it for reasons beyond him.

If Gin-sama came back with a nasty cut on his arm and Shi healed it, neither of them were saying.

The other hand came up to pat him on the shoulder.

"I'm waiting for you to come and save me, hm, Shi-kun."

* * *

When it was done and dusted, the Hougyoku rejects Aizen and no matter how many times Orihime tries to restore the stone, it refuses to fuse with Aizen.

It jumps straight to Shi the moment he enters the room and from the way Gin smiles, it's just the way he planned.

* * *

The entirety of the rescue squad busted down the door, the hallway aligned perfectly for them to enter the throne room and Aizen died right there and then.

It was their happy ending and Shi decided that swallowing the pretty rock was better than letting it be used by other megalomaniacs or letting himself be consumed by the rock.

He jokes with Doctor Ishida who runs an X-ray on him, _"You never know when some ancient Quincy decides he wants to rule the world and decides to steal a rock to do just that."_

He misses the way the doctor stiffens, before pushing up his glasses and manages a derisive snort.

* * *

Today is the 30th whoops and NaNoWriMo officially ends in 20 hours.

I'm ending the official writing phase on this legit crack chapter because it's kind of 3 am right now.

So nope, I didn't make it for the 50 k mark, but I console myself saying it's quite close.

In the future, though I might not have time to do NaNoWriMo next year, I will make sure I write a prompt every day in October so I don't run out of steam mid-way like this year.

Also, I will not start watching Korean dramas while writing (can you believe it I binged watched four in the span of a week?)

Either way, it's half complete, I'll still be taking prompts for however long it takes to finish.

Thank you all for this year's Nano :)

(30 November 2017)


	17. Chapter 17 - Sight, Orihime, Tatsuki

_17\. But he too, will protect everything._

* * *

Dedicated to the lovely Fractoluminescence

* * *

"How are you able to just… come and go as you like, Shi-kun?"

The spirit floating by the orange-haired girl hums, thinking.

 _"I don't really know, Orihime-chan. But then again, no one ever asked how Kido, Hado, or the use of reiryoku was possible. I would think, just some quirk in my being allows it."_

She takes his answer as it is – Shi has never been more knowledgeable about the on-goings than any of the rest of them.

Perhaps he was privileged with power, his abilities, but in many ways, he was limited still.

He's floating about Karakura town with the child, retracing the steps they took that one cold night Aizen sent an Arrancar to pick her up.

They walk past the hospital where they failed to find the elder Ishida; then the Ishida home whose halls are always silent.

Uryuu is underground, perhaps knitting, perhaps training. But he is not there to greet them.

Orihime is content to walk with the ghost, giving him a formal tour of the town.

"It's a comfortably small community, Shi-kun. If you'd like, I'm sure you could just stay with me."

She says it and means it, whole-heartedly.

Shi doesn't have to speak for her to know that his answer is a gentle, _"No."_

He merely smiles and thanks her for the offer.

He has too many things left in Soul Society for him to run to the Human World and stay.

Orihime understands; Shi just needs a little bit of time away from Shinigami and Seireitei and all it embodies.

 _"Respect and loathing, mistrust and yet still needing protection. Orihime-chan, when there comes a time, protect what is yours. Stand your ground if they ask you to sacrifice things you're not willing to."_

They both know that he means more than he says, but that she does not ( _yet_ ) understand.

His half corporeal hand, lightly resting on her head.

 _"I will not abandon you, or this town, okay? I promise."_

Shi knows, better than any of the Shinigami.

The children of Karakura Town are still children. Not even dead yet.

And he knows better than most that they have saved the afterlife by their actions.

It would be cliché to say, but if Shi could be honest, the afterlife as it was (is?) was not deserving of the heroes that fate gave them.

 _But who am I to say? I who have seen little and met few people; thinking of acquaintances to be saints; of power to be merely for protecting and not greed._

They walk by the Kurosaki home.

Cheerfully, the child tells him that "Ichigo-kun is with Urahara-san, Karin is out playing football and Yuzu and Isshin-san are at the clinic."

They didn't go by the clinic that night – unlike Ryuuken, Isshin has every reason to be at home at night.

Shi knows, of course, that the senior Ishida loves his son. He could tell from the first moment they met at the hospital.

But he knows all too well that avoiding grief is simpler; throwing oneself into work and forgetting the emotional needs of the other.

 _Not too different, not too different at all, from the Shinigami that the elder professed to hate._

It would be wrong to say that they are all same, all still human.

But no one would deny that there were some commonalities between the dead and the living.

They both walk.

 _(Him and Orihime; the deal and the living.)_

 _Both._

* * *

They wound up outside a dojo.

Orihime peeps in through the paper screens, Shi floating above her to have a look as well.

There is only one person inside, practising katas on a wooden dummy.

Her energy hums, where Orihime's flits about; warm like Orihime's.

 _Influenced by her own growing reiatsu another human child manifested powers to protect themselves._

As much a symbol of the children's strength and _his (soul society's)- his (the Shinigami's) weakness._

That they developed powers to protect themselves because they had failed.

The girl doesn't stop but she calls out, "You know you don't have to stand there. Come in already."

And the smile on Orihime's face lit up the room as she slid open the door and allowed the last rays of sun in.

"Tatsuki-chan!"

She moved to hug the black short-haired girl but was waved off, "I'm sweaty Hime, let me take a quick shower. I'll be right out."

Shi can't tell what sort of kata the girl was doing, but he is willing to bet that the set of kata did not end where the girl stopped.

Orihime is busy for a moment as she checks on the fridge's contents, then the first aid kit and finally the storeroom.

Shi guesses it's the storeroom since it's where the wooden dummy disappears into.

* * *

She tried to introduce them, "Shi-kun, this is Tatsuki, my closest friend from childhood."

Turning to Tatsuki and gesturing back at Shi, she repeated it again.

Tatsuki only frowned and attempted to greet the spirit introduced to her.

 _"You can't really see me, can you, Tatsuki-san?"_

"I can hear you though," comes the speedy response.

Shi is fully corporeal, using reishi to sustain his image, yet Orihime's friend still cannot see him.

He places a hand one of hers and she covers it with her other hand.

In her mind's eye, she constructed an image of him by touch.

By the end of the exercise she could see him, an outline of him at least.

She can't really see him, of course, but Shi can see that the girl is troubled by her inability to see.

Shi cannot do much for her; he complies and waits patiently as she tugs on his hair to complete her visualisation.

"You're a shimmery picture now. Nice to meet you, Shi-san. I'm Tatsuki, a human."

His lips quirk upwards.

"You're… your lips just moved, right?"

He blinks and looks at Orihime.

"You moved your head, you're looking at Orihime."

Shi laughs, gently.

 _"Nice to meet you, Tatsuki-san. I'm Shi, a wandering ghost."_

Orihime is absolutely delighted.

 _She could see him._

 _At the same time, he worried; of what it meant for her and her friends. Of what it meant for him and the inevitable war that was looming._

 _History is cyclical._

 _War was coming._

 _There would be no running._

She was weak right now against the spirit world.

She was strong in the world of men.

 _It would not enough to protect Orihime from Arrancar._

 _Others would not always be around; Orihime was not a good combatant._

 _But this girl would always be there for the healer._

He would count on her power growing exponentially now that her Sight had awakened.

Until then, he would have to stay to protect them.

From themselves, from the scientist who hid under his hat, from the higher powers above.

The power of friendship is strong.

He knows that Orihime trusts this girl.

He asked for her hand, " _Please,"_ and she ( _he)_ gave it to him ( _her)._

A little push of cold – and her powers reacted in an explosion.

Orihime who healed to save and the child before him, a fire smouldering who would burn the world to the ground in order to protect her friends.

Shi cannot do much, very often his hands are tied.

But somehow and someway he must find a way to protect Orihime, a way to protect her best friend, a way to protect the town that found itself entangled with the spirit world.

It's not much, but if there was one more child who knew how to call for a Shinigami, then maybe the town would be that much safer.

* * *

She asks him one day as she landed a blow on his solidified leg, "Why couldn't I see you the first time that we met?"

Shi tells her that he does not know.

"I could see pluses, hollows and even Shinigami by that point. What is it about wandering ghosts that make you all so hard to see, Shi-san?"

The child has many questions he cannot answer – does not know the answer to.

Even now, he knows that in his semi-corporeal form he is only a faint outline to her. When he is solid enough that her blows connect, he is still translucent.

 _"I've never come across a human quite like you, Tatsuki-san. I confess to being at a loss. Perhaps Urahara-san would know, but that would be a question for another day."_

Shi knows that the girl is wary of the hatted shopkeeper. Not for the reasons Shi is cautious of him, but he finds her caution fresh among most of the human children who somehow come to be reliant on the mysterious man.

As she's distracted, Shi sweeps her legs out from under her.

Her scowl wipes traces of her curiosity away.

Shi smiles indulgently – because she remembers why she wants to be strong.

 _She only wants to protect._

 _That power to protect._

 _Shi questions himself sometimes._

Of course, he wants to protect them.

But how much power would be enough?

How much would be… too much?

 _Shi thinks of a hundred thousand souls coalesced into a stone buried into a homunculus and a phoenix screeching – the heat of a thousand suns._

* * *

He wakes up from his sleep, something that he ended up needing more of as he aged.

The dream was not… pleasant?

Shi is unsure.

If there was a problem, what was it?

 _Shi thought back to it._

 _When the girl declared that, "I have to get stronger in order to protect Orihime."_

Did she know how much stronger Orihime was spiritually?

Maybe the gap made her uncomfortable.

Shi does not claim to understand everything.

But he knows very well that the dead are prone to their fits more than the living due to their age.

 _He prayed for a millennium of peace and an age of prosperity._

Prayed that at least, the next war occurs when Orihime-chan and Tatsuki-chan had moved on.

It was a little too quaint that everything happened so close ( _relatively, in dead-years) and everything just came back to Karakura town._

Could he blame Kisuke?

He ought to, but there was no evidence.

He slipped through the gaps in the barrier and found himself in Karakura – the place where the gap between the living and the dead was the smallest.

The place where the beginning of the end of the world would start.

Each time the hollows spilt over, it was to this town not any other.

He would have to be a fool to think it was a natural phenomenon.

But Shi doesn't have the kind of power needed to keep the worlds apart.

 _He can't do much, at all, after all._

He can only tell her, _"You have to be strong, Tatsuki-san."_

And he promises – he keeps promising things he can't really promise.

 _(Shi doesn't want to be a liar. He wanted to be a protector. So, he promised.)_

The girl with the heart of a lion and the strength of one was by the side of the healer who rejected the universe.

Everyone is planning something.

Shi is just planning for something.

 _He wanted to protect them. Too late he realised that he could have protected them another way._

 _That he could have made them forget._

 _That the hundred thousand souls in the pretty rock embedded in him would have gladly taken many more souls to protect the two he wanted to be safe._

But that would have been… wrong?

Because every life should have mattered.

Shi protected them, as he wanted to.

He watched the child he trained with run ahead of him, her fists ablaze and he thought –

 _ah, what a cruel fate game played._

He prayed.

War came again, much too soon.

* * *

Hello! Um, I'm back for a bit after an entire year. Again, this chapter is dedicated to the prompt on Shi interacting again with Orihime and meeting Tatsuki. Pardon me, I've written this up in about three hours after midnight. I hope that it's not too disjointed; this does require slight knowledge of the Quincy War and Tatsuki's powers to understand fully. It was not really my intention, but I might be dragging our geta-boshi through the mud.

Somehow… I just can't really see him as an entirely good guy.

We're a little closer to the target of 31 chapters, but I'm not sure how long it will take to get there… depends on the prompts I get and the inspiration that hits me.

Much love and thank yous for your patience,

(I'll get back to all my PMs in a bit if anyone is still reading!)

Kayo.


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